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Shrimps of Southern Australia

[shrimp 1] [shrimp 2] [shrimp 3] [shrimp 4]
[shrimp 5] [shrimp 6] [shrimp 7] [shrimp 8]
[shrimp 9] [shrimp 10] [shrimp 11] [shrimp 12]

Shrimps belong to the group of crustaceans known as Caridea. In all carideans the body comprises a thorax covered by a carapace and a muscular abdomen. Two of the five pairs of legs end in claws. Caridean shrimps are most frequently seen wandering on the surface of rocks in rock pools but others burrow in sediments, hide between the fronds of algae, or swim in the midwater of the oceans. Most are marine but some live in rivers and lakes.

Many shrimps are brightly coloured; others take on the colours of their habitat. Most shrimps are scavengers but others are active predators. Prawns are often confused with shrimps when in fact they belong to a different group of crustaceans known as Dendrobranchiata.

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