Pandalus platyceros, commonly known as ‘spotted shrimp‘ or ‘Pacific giant shrimp‘, is a species of decapod crustacean belonging to the family Pandalidae within the order Decapoda. The genus name ‘Pandalus‘ comes from Greek mythology, while the specific epithet ‘platyceros‘ is derived from the Greek words ‘platy‘, meaning broad or flat, and ‘ceros‘, meaning horn, referring to the distinctive shape of its rostrum. This shrimp is distributed throughout the North Pacific, from Alaska and Canada to Baja California in Mexico. It inhabits mainly cold and temperate waters, often on muddy, sandy or rocky bottoms, at depths ranging from 10 to more than 450 meters.
Pandalus platyceros is one of the largest shrimp of its genus, reaching up to 25 centimeters in total length, although individuals usually measure between 15 and 20 centimeters. Its body is elongated and laterally compressed, with coloration varying from pink to bright red with white and yellow spots distributed on the exoskeleton, giving it its common name of ‘spotted shrimp‘. The rostrum is long, flat and with a series of teeth along the dorsal and ventral edge. The carapace is translucent and has numerous small spines. The antennae are long and slender, while the legs, or pereiopods, are adapted for walking and swimming. A distinguishing feature of Pandalus platyceros compared to other similar species, such as Pandalus borealis, is its larger size, longer rostrum and unique distribution of spots on its body, which are more prominent and larger in size.
In terms of feeding habits, Pandalus platyceros is omnivorous and feeds on a variety of foods. Its diet includes small crustaceans such as copepods and amphipods, molluscs, polychaete worms, organic detritus, algae and other decaying materials. It also feeds on fish larvae and zooplankton, playing an important role in the marine food chain. This shrimp uses its chelipeds and maxillipeds (mouth appendages) to capture and manipulate its food, raking the seafloor and filtering small particles from the surrounding water.
The reproduction of Pandalus platyceros is unique and presents a phenomenon known as sequential hermaphroditism. Individuals begin life as males and, after several years, transform into females. The reproductive period occurs mainly in winter. During this time, females release fertilized eggs, which are carried under the abdomen, attached to the pleopods. These eggs remain under the protection of the female until the larvae hatch, a process that can take several months depending on the water temperature. The larvae are planktonic and go through several developmental stages before settling to the seafloor and beginning their benthic life as juveniles.
An interesting fact about Pandalus platyceros is its economic and ecological importance. It is one of the most prized shrimp species in commercial and recreational fisheries in the North Pacific, valued for its sweet flesh and large size. Pandalus platyceros fisheries are strictly regulated in many places, with controlled harvest seasons to ensure the sustainability of the population. In addition, because of its role in the food chain, this shrimp is an important food source for numerous fish, seabirds and marine mammals, underscoring its ecological relevance in North Pacific marine ecosystems.
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