Whiteleg shrimp
Encyclopedia
Whiteleg shrimp also known as Pacific white shrimp, is a variety of prawn of the eastern Pacific Ocean
commonly caught or farmed for food
.
length of 90 mm (3.5 in). Adults live in the ocean
, at depths of up to 72 metres (236.2 ft), while juveniles
live in estuaries
. The rostrum
is moderately long, with 7–10 teeth on the dorsal side and 2–4 teeth on the ventral side.
, from the Mexican
state of Sonora
as far south as northern Peru
. It is restricted to areas where the water temperature remains above 20 °C (68 °F) throughout the year.
s further offshore. In the late 20th century, the wild fishery was overtaken by the use of aquaculture
; this began in 1973 in Florida
using prawns captured in Panama
. In Latin America, the culture of L. vannamei showed peaks of production during the warm El Niño
years, and reduced production during the cooler La Niña
years, due to the effects of disease. Production of L. vannamei is limited by its susceptibility to various diseases, including white spot syndrome
, Taura syndrome
, infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis, baculoviral midgut gland necrosis and Vibrio
infections. By 2004, global production of L. vannamei approached 1,116,000 t, and exceeded that of Penaeus monodon
.
In 2010, Greenpeace International has added the whiteleg shrimp to its seafood red list. "The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries." The reasons given by Greenpeace were "destruction of vast areas of mangroves in several countries, over-fishing of juvenile shrimp from the wild to supply farms, and significant human rights abuses".
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
commonly caught or farmed for food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
.
Description
Litopenaeus vannamei grows to a maximum length of 230 millimetres (9.1 in), with a carapaceCarapace
A carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
length of 90 mm (3.5 in). Adults live in the ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
, at depths of up to 72 metres (236.2 ft), while juveniles
Juvenile (organism)
A juvenile is an individual organism that has not yet reached its adult form, sexual maturity or size. Juveniles sometimes look very different from the adult form, particularly in terms of their colour...
live in estuaries
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
. The rostrum
Rostrum (anatomy)
The term rostrum is used for a number of unrelated structures in different groups of animals:*In crustaceans, the rostrum is the forward extension of the carapace in front of the eyes....
is moderately long, with 7–10 teeth on the dorsal side and 2–4 teeth on the ventral side.
Distribution and habitat
Whiteleg shrimp are native to the eastern Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, from the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
state of Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
as far south as northern Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. It is restricted to areas where the water temperature remains above 20 °C (68 °F) throughout the year.
Fishery and aquaculture
During the 20th century, L. vannamei was an important species for Mexican inshore fishermen, as well as for trawlerTrawler
A fishing trawler is a commercial fishing vessel designed to operate fishing trawls. Trawling is a method of fishing that involves actively dragging or pulling a trawl through the water behind one or more trawlers. Trawls are fishing nets that are pulled along the bottom of the sea or in midwater...
s further offshore. In the late 20th century, the wild fishery was overtaken by the use of aquaculture
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
; this began in 1973 in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
using prawns captured in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. In Latin America, the culture of L. vannamei showed peaks of production during the warm El Niño
El Niño-Southern Oscillation
El Niño/La Niña-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, is a quasiperiodic climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean roughly every five years...
years, and reduced production during the cooler La Niña
La Niña
La Niña is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that is the counterpart of El Niño as part of the broader El Niño-Southern Oscillation climate pattern. During a period of La Niña, the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 3–5 °C...
years, due to the effects of disease. Production of L. vannamei is limited by its susceptibility to various diseases, including white spot syndrome
White spot syndrome
White spot syndrome is a viral infection of penaeid shrimp. The disease is highly lethal and contagious, killing shrimps quickly. Outbreaks of this disease have wiped out within a few days the entire populations of many shrimp farms throughout the world.The disease is caused by a family of related...
, Taura syndrome
Taura syndrome
Taura syndrome is one of the more devastating diseases affecting the shrimp farming industry worldwide.Taura syndrome was first described in Ecuador during the summer of 1992. In March 1993, it returned as a major epidemic and was the object of extensive media coverage...
, infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis, baculoviral midgut gland necrosis and Vibrio
Vibrio
Vibrio is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria possessing a curved rod shape, several species of which can cause foodborne infection, usually associated with eating undercooked seafood. Typically found in saltwater, Vibrio are facultative anaerobes that test positive for oxidase and do not form...
infections. By 2004, global production of L. vannamei approached 1,116,000 t, and exceeded that of Penaeus monodon
Penaeus monodon
Penaeus monodon, the giant tiger prawn , is a marine crustacean that is widely reared for food.-Distribution:...
.
In 2010, Greenpeace International has added the whiteleg shrimp to its seafood red list. "The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries." The reasons given by Greenpeace were "destruction of vast areas of mangroves in several countries, over-fishing of juvenile shrimp from the wild to supply farms, and significant human rights abuses".