ET"FdR.E?!CE COPY 

Do Not Rernave from the Library 

- U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

WpfInnd~ Research Center 

FWS/OBS-82/11.17 

October 1983 700 Cajun Dome Boulevard TR EL-82.4 Lafayette, Louisiana 70506 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and 

Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes 

and Invertebrates (South Florida) 

PINK SHRIMP 

' Fish and Wildlife Service 

Coastal Ecology Group 

Waterwavs Experiment Station 

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
FWS/OBS-82/11.17 

TR EL-82-4 

October 1983 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements 

of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (South Florida) 

PINK SHRIMP 

Lourdes M. Bielsa, William H. Murdich, and Ronald F. Labisky 

School of Forest Resources and Conservation 

University of Florida 

118 Newins-Ziegler Hal 1 

Gainesville, FL 32611 

Project Manager 

Larry Shanks 

Project Officer 

Norman Benson 

National Coastal Ecosystems Team 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

1010 Gause Boulevard 

Sl idel 1 , LA 70458 

Performed for 

Coastal Ecology Group 

Waterways Experiment Station 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 

and 

National Coastal Ecosystems Team 

Division of Biological Services 

Research and Development 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Washington, DC 20240 
This series should be referenced as follows: 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1983. Species profiles: life histories and 

environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates. U.S. Fish 

Wildl. Serv. FWS/OBS-82/11. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 

This profile should be cited as follows 

Bielsa, L. M., W. H. Murdich, and R. F. Labisky. 1983. Species profiles: life 

histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates 

(south Florida) -- pink shrimp. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. FWS/OBS-82111.17. 

I1.S. Hr:ny Corps of Engineers, TR EL-82-4. 21 pp. 
PREFACE 

This species profile is one of a series on coastal aquatic organisms, 

principally fish, of sport, commercial, or ecological importance. The profiles 

are designed to provide coastal managers, engineers, and biologists with a brief 

comprehensive sketch of the biological characteristics and environmental requi rernents of the species and to describe how populations of the species may be 

expected to react to environmental changes caused by coastal devel opment. Each 

profile has sections on taxonomy, 1 i fe history, ecological role, envi ronmental 

requi rements, and economic importance, if appl icable. A three-ring binder is 

used for this series so that new profiles can be added as they are prepared. 

This project is jointly planned and financed by the 1J.S. Any Corps of Engineers 

and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

A Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) model is being prepared by the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service for the pink shrimp. HSI models are designed to provide 

a numerical index of the relative value of a given site as fish or wildlife 

habitat. 

Suggestions or questions regarding this report should be directed to: 

Information Transfer Special ist 

National Coastal Ecosystems Team 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

NASA-Sl i dell Computer Compl ex 

101.0 Gause Boul evard 

Sl idell, LA 70458 

U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station 

Attention: WESER 

Post Office Box 631 

Vicksburg, MS 39180 
CONTENTS 

PREFACE .................................. iii 

CONVERSION TABLE ............................. v 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................. vi 

NOMENCLATURE/TAXONOMY/RANGE ........................ 1 

MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS ...................... 3 

Morphological Characteristics ...................... 3 

Color and Pigmentation ......................... 3 

Size .................................. 4 

Morphological Differences Among Related Species ............. 4 

REASON FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES ...................... 4 

LIFE HISTORY ............................... 4 

Sexual Maturity ............................. 4 

Spawning ................................ 6 

Larvae ................................. 6 

Postlarvae ............................... 7 

Juveniles and Adults .......................... 7 

GROWTH AND MORTALITY ........................... 7 

THE FISHERY ................................ 8 

ECOLOGICAL ROLE .............................. 11 

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS ........................ 12 

Temperature ............................... 12 

Salinity ................................ 13 

I Habitat ................................ 13 

Water Movement ............................. 14 

Other Environmental Requirements .................... 14 

Diseases and Pol 1 btants ......................... 15 

LITERATURECITED ............................. 16 
CONVERSION FACTORS 

Metric to U.S. Customary 

-- To Obtain 

mi 11 imeters (nun) 

centimeters (cm) 

meters (m) 

ki 1 ometers (km) 

inches 

inches 

feet 

mi 1 es 

square meters (mi) 

square ki 1 ometers (km') 

hectares (ha) 

square feet 

square miles 

acres 

1 iters (1) 

cubic meters (m3) 

cubic meters 

gal lons 

cubic feet 

acre-feet 

mi 1 1 i grams (mg) 

grams (9) 

ki 1 ograms (kg) 

metric tons (mt) 

metric tons 

kilocalories (kcal ) 

ounces 

ounces 

pounds 

pounds 

short tons 

BTU 

Celsius degrees Fahrenheit degrees 

U.S. Customary to Metric 

inches 

inches 

feet (ft) 

fat horns 

miles (mi) 

nautical miles (nmi ) 

mi 11 imeters 

centimeters 

meters 

meters 

kilometers 

kilometers 

square feet (ft ') 

acres 

square miles (mii) 

square meters 

hectares 

square ki lometer; 

gal 1 ons (gal ) 

cubic feet (ft3) 

acre-feet 

1 i ters 

cubic meters 

cubic meters 

ounces (02) 

pounds (1 b) 

short tons (ton) 

BTU 

grams 

k i 1 ograms 

metric tons 

kilocalories 

Fahrenheit degrees Cel si us degree: 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

We are grateful for the reviews by Dr. Edward Kl ima, National Marine Fisheries Service, Galveston, Texas, and by Mr. Thomas Costello, National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, Florida. 
Figure 1. Pink shrimp. 

PINK SHRIMP 

Scientific name. ... Penaeus duorarum 

duorarum Burkenroad, 1939 

Preferred common name. .. .Pink shrimp 

(Figure 1) 

Other common names. .. Spotted shrimp, 

pink-spotted shrimp, brownspotted shrimp, grooved shrimp, 

green shrimp, pink-night shrimp, 

red shrimp, hopper, skipper, 

pushed shrimp (Perez Farfante 

1969) 

Class. ............ Crus tacea 

Order. ............ Decapoda 

. Family ............ Penaeidae 

Geographic range: range extends from 

lower Chesapeake Bay to south 

Florida (including Bermuda) in 

the Atlantic Ocean, and into the 

Gulf of ivlexico, terminating 

south of Cabo Catoche at Isla 

Mujeres, Mexico (Perez Farfante 

1969). It is especially 

abundant in broad, shal low 

continental shelf areas, and in 

shallow bays and estuaries. 

Maximum densities are &ound in 

the eastern and southwestern 

Gulf of Mexico, along the 

Florida and Yucatan coasts, 

respectively (Costel lo and A7 len 

1970) (Figure 2). 
CANAVERAL 

BIG BEND GROUNDS 

ATLANTIC OCEAN 

ST. PETERSBURG 

PALM BEACH 

OKEECHOBEE 

GULF Of MEXICO 

TORTUGAS GROUNDS 

Nursery areas 

Figure 2. Geographic distribution of pink shrimp in south Florida. 
MORPHOLOGY/IDENTIFICATION AIDS 

Morphological Characteristics 

Will iatrls (1 965) provided the 

following description: "Integument 

thin, polished, translucent. Carapace 

with a median carina continuous 

anteriorly with rostrum and extending 

nearly to posterior border of 

carapace, flanked on each side by a 

broad, rounded groove; posterior ha1 f 

of carina with a median longitudinal 

groove; anterior ha1 f arcuate, highest 

above orbit and with 9 or 10 sharp 

teeth; posterior tooth remote from 

others, anterior 6 or 7 on rostrum 

proper. Lower margin of rostrum 

[with] two to three teeth (occasionally one); tip slender, horizontal or 

directed sl ightl y downward, unarmed. 

Anterior margin of carapace with 

strong antenna1 spine on carina 

extending backward nearly to we1 1 - developed hepatic spine. Cervical 

groove extending ha1 fway from hepatic 

spine to dorsal carina. A subhorizontal suture below hepatic spine, 

and a groove extending from near 

hepatic spine to near base of ocular 

peduncle. An orbital ridge behind 

eye. 

"Female with thelycum composed of 

two broad lateral plates, and a median 

plate. Posteromedian part of median 

plate of adult with a well-developed, 

short, longitudinal carina extending 

anteriorly toward roughly semi - circular, concave anterior portion. 

Lateral plates produced medial ly to 

meet in midline, except variably 

divergent at anteromedian corners, 

thus exposing carina of median plates. 

"Abdomen with segments four to 

six carinate, carina of sixth ending 

posteriorly in a spine and flanked on 

each side by a narrow groove. Telson 

with deep median groove andan 

acuminate tip. Petasma of male with 

distal ends of distoventral lobes 

curved medial ly, not projectinp free 

of distolateral lobes; external edse 

of distoventral lobes with a series 

of 2 to 12, usually 4 to 7, small 

spinules; median or attached edge of 

distoventral lobes with a con~pact 

group of 5 to 16 large, long, sharp, 

curved spines; fold of distolateral 

lobe rather small and armed inconspicuously if at all." 

Burkenroad (1939) divided the 

species into two forms: A and B. 

Will iams (1965) and Perez Farfante 

(1969) equated form A with the subspecies P. duorarum duorarum from the 

Atlantic-and Gulf of Mexico, and the 

form B with P. duorarum notialis from 

the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Coast of 

South America and Africa. In form A, 

the dorsolateral grooves of the sixth 

abdominal segment are almost or 

entirely closed; in form B, the 

dorsolateral grooves of the sixth 

abdominal segments are broadly open 

(Williams 1965). 

Color and Pigmentation 

Color and pigmentation varies 

mainly with locality and age 

(Williams 1965). In coastal Florida 

and on the Tortugas grounds, shrimp 

colors range from deep pink dnd 

reddish to gray and brown (Perez 

Farfante 1969). Juveniles and your~y 

adults near coastal areas and estuaries are gray or reddish-brown. 

Adults from offshore waters rdnqe irl 

color from red to pink to nedrly 

white (Wi 11 iams 1965). An sbdovinal 

spot (gray, blue, purple, red, ry. 

brown) is usually present at p?e>ur?l 

juncture of third and feu,-th abdorninal seqments (Nil 1 ianls 1965; Peroz 

Farfante 1969). 
Size (Length) 

Large males commonly reach about 

170 mm total length (TL), and large 

females 210 mm TL (Nil 1 iams 1965). 

Specimens have been reoorted as large 

as 230 mm TL (Iversen et al. 1960). 

Morphological Differences Among 

Related Species 

Morphological differences among 

the three related species of shrimp, 

pink, brown (Penaeus aztecus), and 

white (P. setiferus)j were cited by 

Lassuy 0983): 

Pink: Dorso-lateral grooves on 

last abdominal segment prominent and 

narrow; spot on juncture of third and 

fourth abdominal segments usual ly 

present. 

Brown: Adrostral and postrostral 

crestxng, extending almost to the 

posterior margin of carapace; gastrofrontal crests present; dorso-lateral 

grooves on last abdominal segment 

well-defined and broad; spot on 

juncture of third and fourth abdominal 

segment usually absent. 

White: Length of adrostral 

groovness than length of anterior 

ha1 f of carapace; postrostral crests 

poorly defined posteriorly and gastrofrontal crests absent. 

Although all three species are 

found in Florida waters, the pink 

shrimp is by far the most prevalent 

species. The principal populations of 

brown and white shrimp are found off 

the Louisiana and Texas coasts, 

respectively (Gunter et a1 . 1964). 

REASON FOR INCLUSION IN SERIES 

fisheries in Florida. More than 17 

million pounds of pink shrimp (heads 

off) were landed at Florida ports in 

1981, providing a total exvessel 

value of over $45 million (Table 1). 

The total value of Florida's 

commercial fisheries in 1981 was 

approximately $1 72 mil 1 ion (National 

Marine Fisheries Service 1982); thus, 

the pink shrimp catch constituted 26% 

of the total dollar value derived 

from the State's commercial 

fisheries. Additional monetary value 

can be credited to pink shrimp taken 

in the extensive bait-fishing 

operations along both coasts. 

Pink shrimp is also an important link in marine food chains. Its 

life cycle, distribution, and large 

biomass render the species vulnerable 

to diverse predators, many of them 

commercial ly or recreational ly 

important species themselves. The 

over-harvest of pink shrimp would 

precipitate a decline in the abundance of the species. Hypothetically, such a decrease in biomass 

could, in turn, negatively affect the 

predatory species, thus a1 tering the 

balance of the whole ecosystem (May 

et al. 1979). 

Estuaries and other shallow 

coastal seagrass communities, which 

are at risk of development, are 

important nursery grounds for the 

species. Preservation of these 

habitats is essential for the development of shrimp through the early 

stages of their life cycle, and, 

consequently, for the continuation of 

harvestable shrimp populations. 

LIFE HISTORY 

Sexual Maturi tv 

The pink shrimp fishery is the 

most economical ly important of a1 1 

Females and males attain sexual 

maturity at 85 and 74 mm TL, 
Table 1. Commercial landings (heads-off) in pounds and exvessel monetary values 

for pink shrimp from the east and west coasts of Florida, 1970-1981 (A. C. 

Jones, National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL; pers; comm.). 

East coast West coast 

Pounds Do1 1 ars Pounds Do1 lars 

Year (1,000s) (1,000s) (1,000s) (1,000s) 

Landings unavailable. 
respectively (Eldred et a1 . 1961). 

Ripe females exhibit turgid and 

enlarged ovaries, with peripheral 

rod-like bodies in the ova; females 

may spawn more than once during their 

1 ife (Cummings 1961 ). Mature males 

exhibit joined endopods, and spermatophores with spermatozoa (Eldred et al. 

1961). 

Spawning 

Pink shrimp emigrate from 

shal low, coastal nursery grounds to 

deeper offshore waters in the late 

juvenile or early adult stage 

(Wi 11 iams 1955a). Spawning occurs in 

oceanic waters at depths of 4 to 48 m 

(12 to 156 ft), and probably in deeper 

waters a1 so (Perez Farfante 1969). 

The species spawns throughout the 

year on the Tortugas Shelf at water 

depths between 15 and 48 m (49 and 157 

ft). In late fall and winter, 

spawning activity shifts from shallow 

tn deep water (within those depths 

where spawning takes place); this 

shift may be due to the movement of 

adult shrimp to deep waters when 

temperatures of shall ow waters 

decrease (Munro et al. 1968). Larvae 

are more abundant during spring, 

summer and fall than during winter 

(dunes et al. 1970), indicating some 

seasonality of reproduction. Spawning 

on the Tortugas fishing grounds occurs 

rrlainly during the last phase of the 

lur.ar month (Munro et al. 1968). 

Eldred et al. (1965) found that rising 

tcrvperatures were an important factor 

~n triggering spawning, which occurs 

ira 1 at water temperatures 

i~:?tw~?ri 19.6" and 30.6"C (67.3" and 

;;7. :OF) (Jones et al. 1970). The peak 

ir spawning activity general ly 

C:!!~IC id4-. ~i th nlaxi~rlun~ bottom-water 

~'-.',~!prjt~i~~~: !I%~nro rt. al. 1968). 

The eggs, approximately 0.23 to 

0.33 mm in diameter (Eldred et al. 

1965), are demersal (Ewald 1965). 

Coloration is generally an opaque 

ye1 low-brown, but the chorion may 

appear bluish under certain light 

reflections (Dobkin 1961). Ewald 

(1965) reported that eggs of pink 

shrimp spawned in the laboratory 

"...were visible to the naked eye and 

appeared 1 ike fine, white powder." 

The number of eggs produced per spawn 

is unknown, but a 172-mrn TL white 

shrimp contained 860,000 (Anderson et 

al. 1949). 

Larvae 

Ewald (1965) found that 

laboratory-reared larvae exhibited 

five naupl iar stages, three protozoeal stages, and two to five mysis 

stages. Under laboratory conditions, 

the duration of the larval development was 15 days in 26°C (79°F) water 

and 21 days in 21°C (70°F) water; 

shrimp underwent fewer mysis stages 

in the 26°C water than in the 21°C 

water (Ewald 1965). Approximately 

870 x 10" protozoeal larvae 

are produced yearly on the Tortugas 

grounds; survival rates averaged 

80.47; per day (Munro et al. 1968). 

Peak abundance of larvae was found at 

water temperatures of 19°C (66°F) or 

greater (Eldred et al. 1965; Jones et 

al. 1970; A1 len et al. 1980; Kennedy 

and Barber 1981 ). 

The pelagic larvae are carried 

into the Florida Current from the 

Tortugas grounds by westerly and 

southwesterly currents; the Florida 

Current, in turn, transports the 

larvae to the nursery grounds in 

Everglades National Park (Munro et 

al. 1968). Jones et al. (1970) and 

Kennedy and Barber (1 981 ) reported 

that larvae may use tidal currents to 

enter the estuarine nursery grounds. 
~os'tl arvae 

Postlarvae enter estuarine and 

coastal bay nursery areas at 8 mm TL 

(Copeland and Truitt 1966). Peaks of 

abundance occur in spring and late 

fa1 1. The abundance of immigrating 

postlarvae increases with increasing 

velocity of flood tides (Tabb et al. 

1962). Postlarvae become benthic at 

about 10 mm TL, and concentrate where 

habitat offering shelter is adequate 

(Costello and Allen 1970). 

Juveniles and Adults 

Pink shrimp spend from 2 to 6 

months in nursery areas (Costello and 

A1 len 1966). Activity patterns that 

may take place while shrimp remain in 

nursery areas have been observed under 

laboratory conditions by Wickham 

(1967), who reported that (1 ) a 

bimodal pattern of diurnal burrowing 

and nocturnal activity in juvenile 

pink shrimp was observed at full and 

new moons, and (2) the timing of 

nocturnal activity peaks corresponded 

with the normal tide progression in 

the area where the shrimp were 

captured. Wickham (1 967) be1 ieved a 

circadian rhythm was responsible for 

the nocturnal activity because it 

repeated itself under constant 1 ight 

conditions. Costel lo and A1 len (1970) 

indicated that burrowing was 

influenced a1 so by type of substrate 

and lunar phase. Thus, activity 

patterns of pink shrimp in nurseries 

are probably a product of circadian 

rhythms and rhythmical ly-occurring 

environmental stimuli. 

Joyce (1965) reported that pink 

shrimp attain a size of 95 to 100 mm 

-TL prior to emigration from the 

nursery areas to offshore waters. 

However, most authors agree that this 

size is season- and area-dependent 

(Iversen and Idyl 1 1960; Eldred et a1 . 

1961; Tabb et al. 1962). Emigration 

occurs year-round with a principal 

peak during fall and a lesser one 

during spring (Eldred et al. 1961; 

Huff and Cobb 1979; Kennedy and 

Barber 1981 ) . 

The greatest concentrations of 

adult shrimp are found between 9 and 

44 m (29 and 144 ft) (Kutkuhn 1962), 

although some specimens have been 

found in Florida waters at depths of 

110 m (360 ft) (Bureau of Commerical 

Fisheries 1962). 

GROWTH AND MORTALITY 

The growth rate of pink shrimp 

differs among the different stages of 

its life cycle; it is influenced also 

by sex and by water temperature 

(Iversen and Jones 1961 ). Dobkin 

(1 961 ) and Ewald (1965) observed 

growth from 0.38 mm TL (nauplii) to 

4.1 mm TL (postlarvae) in 2 to 3 

weeks. Monthly growth rates for 

juveni 1 es have been reported ranging 

from 7 to 52 mm (Williams 1955b; 

Eldred et al. 1961; Tabb et al. 

1962). Monthly growth rates for subadult and adult shrimp are considerably less, ranging from 0 to 22 mm TL 

(Costel lo and A1 len 1960; Iversen and 

Idyll 1960; Iversen and Jones 1961; 

Costel lo 1963; Knight 1966; Kutkuhn 

1966). 

Phares (in Nichols 1982), 

using von ~ertalanffy procedures, 

developed growth parameters for pink 

shrimp in the eastern Gulf of Mexico: 

males, Lw = 173.3 mm and K = 0.2217, 

and females Lw = 182.2 mm and K = 

0.2726 where Lw is the theoretical 

maximum length, and K is the monthly 

growth coefficient. The same study 

also provided the following total 

weight (W)/total length (TL) conversions: 
W = 6.504 x TL~.~~~~ 

for males and, 

W = 6.247 x 10 -6 TL3.2896 

for females, where 

W is expressed in g, and TL is 

expressed in mm. 

The sex ratio of juvenile pink 

shrimp has been reported as 1 :1 (Idyl 1 

1964; Saloman 1965). However, El dred 

et al. (1961) reported that 

differences in size of shrimp, 

geographic area and season often 

shifted the sex ratio from 1:l. In 

Tampa Bay, for example, females were 

slightly more common than males among 

shrimp less than 55 mm TL, males were 

more prevalent among shrimp between 55 

mm and 85 mm TL, and females were 

again more numerous than males at 

sizes greater than 85 mm TL. In the 

Tortugas, males outnumbered females at 

all sizes below 100 mm TL; the sex 

ratio was about equal at 100 mm TL, 

but females were more prevalent than 

males at 105 mm TL and larger. 

Seasonal ly, in the Tortugas, 

females were predominant from March to 

June and from September to December, 

but males were more abundant than 

females the rest of the year. In 

Tampa Bay, females were clearly more 

numerous than males from April to July 

and from September to December, 

whereas males were predominant only in 

January; the sex ratio was basically 

even for all remaining months (Eldred 

et al. 1961). 

Pink shrimp become available to 

the bait fishery at about 6 weeks of 

age or 47 mm TL (Saloman 1965). 

Sexual maturity is attained at 9 or 10 

weeks of age. Pink shrimp were first 

recruited into the Tortugas commercial 

fishery at 15 weeks, providing a 

fishable life span of 68 weeks 

(Kutkuhn 1966). A1 though average 

maximum age has been indicated as 83 

weeks (Kutkuhn 1966), absolute 

maximum age may reach or exceed 2 

years (Eldred et al. 1961). 

The size composition of 1 anded 

pink shrimp varies with habitat, 

season and time of day (Costel lo and 

A1 len 1970). Small and immature 

shrimp inhabit shal low-water 

estuarine areas, whereas mature 

shrimp emigrate to deep offshore 

waters (Costello and Allen 1970). 

Shrimp harvested on the Tortugas 

grounds ranged from 49 to 230 mm TL 

(Iversen et a1 . 1960). 

Mortal i ty rates of harvestable 

shrimp from Florida waters varied 

substantial ly; total mortal i ty (Z) 

coefficients ranged from about 0.10 

to 0.36 (Table 2). The relative 

proportion of total mortal i ty attributable to fishing mortality (F) 

varied similarly, ranging broadly 

between about 30% and 80%. Bi-weekly 

rates of fishing mortal i ty were 

estimated at 6.8% and 13.1% on the 

Sani be1 and Tortugas grounds, respectively, during the early 1960's 

(Costel lo and A1 len 1968). Males 

seemingly exhibit higher mortality 

rates than females (Berry 1970). 

THE FISHERY 

The fishery for pink shrimp in 

the United States is concentrated 

along the central and southern 

coastal regions of the Gulfof 

Mexico. In Florida, gulf waters 

yield 99% and Atlantic waters 1% of 

the total annual landings of pink 

shrimp, which, in 1981, exceeded 17 

mi 11 ion pounds (Table 1). Florida's 

two principal shrimping grounds in 

the gulf are located at the Tortugas 

and Sanibel (McPherson 1982; Figure 

2). 
Table 2. Instantaneous mortality coefficients for pink shrimp in Florida. 

Mortal i ty coefficients 

F M Z 

Area (Fishing) (Other) (Total ) Source 

~- - 

Tortugas 

Sanibel 

Tortugas 

Tortugas 

0.16-0.23 0.02-0.06 0.22-0.27 Berry 1967 

0.07 0.16 0.23 Costel lo and 

Allen 1968 

0.14 0.22 0.36 Costel lo and 

A1 len 1968 

The Tortugas grounds 

(approximately 10,000 km2 ) contributed 

nearly half (48%) of the total 

state-wide catch of pink shrimp 

annually during the late 1970's and 

early 1980's. The high yield of 

shrimp from the Tortugas grounds is 

attributable to the proximity of the 

extensive Florida Bay nursery area. A 

most striking observation is that the 

Tortugas shrimping grounds were not 

discovered unti 1 1949. The Sani be1 

grounds (approximately 2,000 km2), 

which receive stock from the 

Charlotte Harbor-Pine Island Sound and 

Tampa Bay nurseries, yielded about 28% 

of the State's annual catch of pink 

shrimp. 

The Big Bend fishery, which 

extends from Pasco County along the 

central -west coast to Frank1 in County 

in the Panhandle, produces about 20% 

of the annual landings of pink shrimp. 

This fishery is supported by 

Apalachicola Bay and nearby estuarine 

areas. 

The size distribution of pink 

shrimp landed from the Tortugas 

grounds in the 1950's and early 

1960's indicates that pink shrimp are 

fully recruited into the fishery at 

120 nm TL (Figure 3). Recruitment of 

pink shrimp in the eastern Gulf of 

Mexico occurs year-round; the peak of 

recruitment, however, takes place in 

fall, with a secondary peak occurring 

in spring (Nichols 1982). Nichols 

also reported that whereas 

prerecruitment stocks in fall have 

increased during the past two decades, prerecrui tment stocks in spring 

have remained relatively stable. Adequate stock recruitment of pink 

shrimp on Florida's fishing grounds, 

however, may be at risk in future 

years if the critically important 
estuari ne-nursery areas are degraded 

by the developmental processes associated with the State's rapidly 

expanding human population. 

- 

MALES - 0 

z - - 

- 

1 1 

80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 

TOTAL LENGTH (mm) 

Figure 3. Calculated mean annual 

length distributions for male and 

female Penaeus duorarum, Tortugas 

grounds, Florida, 1956-65 (from Berry 

1970). 

Commerc i a 1 shrimpers use 

basically the same fishing gear and 

methods, with local modifications, 

throughout the Gulf of Mexico. 

Vessels range in size from about 15 

to 26 m (50 to 85 ft). The newer 

boats have either steel or fiberglass 

hulls and are usually diesel powered. 

A1 though some fishermen sti 11 prefer 

to pack their catch in ice, most now 

utilize freezers because of the 

increased length of fishing trips and 

ever-rising ice prices. 

The standard commercial shrimp 

net is the otter trawl. These 

funnel-shaped nets are weighted along 

the bottom and have a row of floats 

along the top to keep the mouth of 

the net open. A large, metal-rimmed 

wooden "otter" board or trawl "door" 

is attached to each side or "wing" of 

the net to help spread the net 

(Dumont and Sundstrom 1961). Standard shrimp otter trawls have a 

spread of about 13.7 m (45 ft), and 

have a mesh size of 45 mm (1.75 

inches). Most of the trawling for 

pink shrimp in Florida waters is 

conducted at water depths between 7 

and 37 m (30 and 120 ft). 

Otter trawls are commonly 

"double rigged ," with one net towed 

from an outrigger on each side of the 

vessel. Often, "twin rigs" are used, 

wherein two trawls are towed from 

each side. These rigs are usually 

fishedfor2 to3hoursata time. A 

much smaller "try" net of the same 

mesh size is fished concurrently. 

lhis net is brought on board much 

more frequently, and its contents are 

used as an estimate of the catch in 

the larger nets (D. A. Emiliani, 

National Marine Fisheries Service, 

Galveston, TX; pers. comm. ). 
ECOLOGICAL ROLE 

Pink shrimp function as 

omnivorous consumers (predators) in 

estuarine and marine ecosystems, 

preferring benthic prey. Juveniles 

and young adults in estuarine habitats 

forage along the bottom in 

shall ow-wa ter grass beds. Foraging 

occurs mainly at night, although some 

takes place during the day, particularly in turbid water. Seasonal ly, 

feeding activity peaks during the 

summer (Costel lo and A1 len 1970). 

The food habits of the predatory 

pink shrimp change as it progresses 

through the various stages of its life 

cycle. Laboratory-reared larvae feed 

on microplankton; advanced larvae and 

postlarvae feed on nauplii as well as 

microplankton cultures (Ewald 1965). 

In Tampa Bay, the diet of juvenile 

pink shrimp included dinoflagellates, 

foraminiferans , nematodes , polychaetes, ostracods, copepods, 

mysids, isopods, amphi pods, caridean 

shrimps, caridean eggs, and mollusks; 

sand, debris, algae, diatoms, seagrass, and fish scales have also been 

found in shrimp digestive tracts 

(Eldred et al. 1961). Although food 

habits of adult pink shrimp are not 

known in detail, Williams (1955a) 

reported that stomachs of young adult 

and adult pink shrimp in North 

Carol ina estuaries contained 

foraminiferans, gastropod she1 1 s, 

squid, annel ids, crustaceans, small 

fishes, plant material, and debris. 

Pink shrimp are a major prey 

species to a wide variety of fish. 

Inshore s~ecies. such as snook 

(Centro omus undecimal is) (Marsha1 1 

lhtted seatrout (Cynoscion 

nebulosus) (Tabb 1961 ), and mangrove 

or gray snapper (Lutjanus 9riseus), 

feed heavilv on ink shrim~. Pearson 

(1929) foun; that 61% of the spotted 

seatrout in coastal waters of Texas 

had eaten shrimp exclusively. Shrimp 

were the second most abundant food 

item taken by snook in southwestern 

Fl ori da (Marshal 1 1958). Forty-two 

percent of the mangrove snapper 

stomachs from Everglades Park 

contained pink shrimp (Croker 1960). 

Reef species, such as mutton 

snapper (Lutjanus anal is), red 

grouper (Epinephelus xj , black 

grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci ) , and 

even pelagic kingyackerel 

(Scomberomorus caval la), are a1 1 

predators of pink shrimp (Costel lo 

and Allen 1962, 1970). Pink shrimp 

have also been found in the stomachs 

of bottle-nosed dolphins (Tursiops 

truncatus) (Gunter 1951) and striped 

do1 phins (Stenel la coeru leoalba) 

(Miyazaki et a1 . 1973). 

A variety of birds also utilize 

shrimp as a food resource to some 

extent. Wading birds are opportui7istic feeders, and take shrimp in 

coastal areas (Bent 1926). Seabirds 

commonly forage in mixed-species 

flocks to feed on concentrations of 

prey (Hoffman et al. 1981 ). Shrimp, 

which often congregate when moving 

through channels (Tabb et al. 1962) 

and into and out of estuaries, are 

probably easy prey for diving seabirds at these times. Reptiles and 

aquatic mammals in estuarine habitats 

also may prey on shrimp (Costel lo and 

A1 len 1970). 

As competitors, pink shrimp 

share habitats with both white and 

brown shrimp. The three species 

exhibit different preferences for 

salinity, temperature, substrate, and 

cover. The above-mentioned preferences, in turn, determine maximum 

densities of each shrimp species at 

different times of the year within 

the same estuary (Nil 1 iams 1955a). 
Williams and Deubler (1968) found 

postlarvae of pink shrimp in North 

Carol ina estuaries at salinities 

ranging between 0.40 and 36.76 parts 

per thousand (ppt), whereas postlarvae 

of brown shrimp were found to be more 

abundant at salinities between 0.10 

and 34.88 ppt. Gunter et al. (1964) 

ranked juveniles of white, brown, and 

pink shrimp, in terms of salinity 

tolerance, as "low, intermediate, and 

high," respectively. 

Pink and brown shrimp have been 

found to exhibit different temperature 

tolerances. Wi 11 iams (1 955a) found 

maximum densities of juvenile pink 

shrimp in estuarine habitats of North 

Carolina at water temperatures between 

23" and 28°C (73" and 82°F). 

Substrate preferences explain 

partially the differential 

distributions of pink, brown, and 

white shrimp in nursery areas. In 

experimental tank studies, pink shrimp 

preferred coral mud or substrates 

containing remains of mollusk shells; 

brown and white shrimp, however, chose 

silt bottoms (Williams 1958). 

Wi 11 iarns (1 958) conjectured that 

substrate preferences could be 

explained by the availability of food 

and cover in the different kinds of 

substrates. 

Will iams (1 955a) suggested that 

pink, brown, and white shrimp avoided 

direct competition in estuarine areas 

of North Carolina by occupying the 

nursery areas at different times of 

the year. Pink shrimp entered 

estuarine areas in early summer, at 

which time juvenile and young adult 

brown shrimp were emigrating from the 

nursery grounds. Maximum densities of 

white shrimp were observed in areas of 

relatively low salinities where few 

pink and brown shrimp occurred. 

Although the exact nature and degree 

of competition among these three 

commercial species of Penaeus is not 

known (Williams 195rit is 

reasonable to assume that the three 

species have developed different 

physiological requirements, which 

allow them to occupy different 

real ized niches in Florida nursery 

grounds as well as in North Carolina 

estuaries. 

Hi 1 debrand (1 955) reported that 

competition between pink and white 

shrimp in offshore environments was 

probably mi tigated by differences in 

substrate preference, food and 

daily-activity cycles. 

Because of its role as predator, 

prey and competitor, pink shrimp 

constitutes an important link in 

estuarine and marine food chains. 

Stable ecosystems are the product of 

a particular combination of species 

in relatively fixed proportions; if 

one of the species is greatly disturbed, those ecosystems become 

unstable (Hobson and Lenarz 1977). 

May et al. (1979) stated that for 

species not at the top of the trophic 

chain, e.g., the pink shrimp, the 

level of harvest should be below that 

which greatly reduces population 

abundance; consequently, under some 

circumstances, predation alone may 

reduce shrimp populations to unharvestable levels. Degradation of 

estuarine habitats may significantly 

decrease numbers of pink shrimp. 

This decrease could affect directly 

all the commercial species of fish 

that rely on the pink shrimp as a 

major food resource. 

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS 

a Temperature 

Tolerance of pink shrimp to 

water temperature varies with lati- 
tude (Costel lo and Allen 1970). Pink 

shrimp have been col lected from 

Florida waters at temperatures ranging 

from 10" to 35.5"C (50" to 95.g°F); 

they become narcotized at 13.3"C 

(56°F) (Eldred et al. 1961 ). However, 

Will iams (1955a) collected juvenile 

pink shrimp in water temperatures 

between 4" and 34°C (39" and 93°F) in 

estuarine areas of North Carolina. 

Mortalities due to low water 

temperatures have not been reported in 

the warmest part of the species range 

(Costel lo and A1 len 1970). Juvenile 

pink shrimp are sensitive to low water 

temperatures in shal low-water 

environments, and, consequently, move 

to deeper (warmer) water at the onset 

of the cold weather. When shallow 

waters warm, the shrimp return to this 

habitat, unless they have attained the 

size for emigration to offshore 

grounds (Tabb et al. 1962). In the 

coldest part of their range, i.e., 

estuarine areas of North Carolina, 

extremely cold winters may cause many 

pink shrimp to die (Williams 1965). 

Total mortality in a live bait tank 

was observed at a water temperature of 

12°C (54°F) (Eldred et al. 1961). 

There are no records of death due to 

high water temperatures (Costel lo and 

A1 1en 1970). 

Salinity 

Pink shrimp exhibit different 

degrees of preference to sal ini ty at 

different stages of their life cycle. 

Hughes (1969a) indicated that tidal 

transport of postlarvae may be 

initiated by increases in salinities 

of flood tides. Hildebrand (1955) 

reported that juveniles exhibited a 

preference for salinities of 20 ppt or 

more. As they grow, they move into 

deeper, saltier water, until finally 

they leave the bays and enter the open 

sea (Williams 1955a). Gunter et 

al. (1964) reported the greatest 

biomass of pink shrimp along the gulf 

coast was distributed "around the 

South Florida islands, where the 

salinities are oceanic." Tabb et al. 

(1962) found postlarvae at salinities 

from 12 to 43 ppt, juveniles from 5 

to 47 ppt, and adults from 25 to 45 

ppt in Florida Bay. Adult pink 

shrimp have been found on the 

Tortugas grounds at salinities from 

36.2 to 37.7 ppt (Iversen and Idyl 1 

1960). 

Interactions between water 

temperature and salinity impose 

strict environmental restraints on 

shrimp populations. At low temperatures, all shrimp have difficulty 

adjusting to changes in salinity; 

survival rates are higher at moderate 

to high salinities under conditions 

of low water temperatures (Wil 1 iams 

1960). Wil liams (1955a) stated that 

pink shrimp have osmoregulatory 

capabilities superior to those of 

brown shrimp at low water temperatures, and thus exhibit a greater 

capabi 1 i ty for overwintering in 

estuaries in the northern part of 

their range. 

Habitat 

Pink shrimp are associated with 

shell sand, sand, coral-mud, or mud 

bottoms (Wi 11 iams 1965). Subadul ts 

prefer shell sand and loose peat 

(Wi 11 iams 1958) ; adults prefer 

calcareous sediments, but are found 

also on hard sand bottoms, 

"particularly in non-turbid waters" 

(Hi 1 debrand 1955). In contrast, 

Williams (1965) found that both white 

and brown shrimp preferred soft, 

muddy bottoms. 

Pink shrimp dispersion in 

nursery areas may be 1 imited by the 

geographical distribution of sea- 
grasses within estuaries. Inshore 

fisheries do not occur in areas where 

seagrasses are rare or absent (tioese 

and Jones 1963). Turtle grass 

(Thalassia testudium) provides not 

only cover for shrimp but also 

suitable habitat for shrimp food 

species (Moore 1963). Will iams 

(1 955a) reported high densities of 

shrimp populations where the sea- . .. 

grasses, Di planthera wrighti i and 

Zostera marina, were present; he 

re~orted X'ITCthat decomoosina forest 

1 itter constituted a suibbledhabitat 

for shrimp in nursery areas of North 

Carolina. 

Turtle grass was practica l ly 

el iminated from sections of Apalachee 

Bay, Fl orida , because of decreased 

light penetration resulting from 

turbidity and coloring of the water by 

kraft-mi 11 effluents; the most heavily 

polluted areas were, in fact, totally 

without rooted macrophytes (Zimmerman 

and Livingston 1976). Dugan and 

Livingston (1 982) reported that the 

unpol 1 uted parts of Apal achee Bay had 

stable invertebrate populations, 

whereas the polluted parts of the 

estuary had less than half of the 

number of invertebrates. They 

attributed the difference to the 

reduction in seagrass biomass in the 

polluted parts of the bay. Similarly, 

dredge-and-f i 11 operations in Tampa 

Bay have degraded the seagrass beds 

that serve as shrimp nursery areas 

(Saloman 1965). 

Van Lopik et al. (1979) have 

described several shorel i ne development practices that severely degrade 

shrimp habitat. The most obvious and 

highly publicized of these is the flow 

of polluted waters into estuaries. 

Other practices that negatively a1 ter 

shrimp nursery habitats include: ( I ) 

direct saltwater intrusion (or 

diversion of natural freshwater 

discharge), which causes unfavorable 

sal ini ty regimes; (2) impounding of 

natural waterways, which prevents the 

influx of immigrating shrimp; and (3) 

bul kheading of shorel ines, which 

removes the critical marsh- or 

mangrove water interface. Mock's 

(1 967) findings err~phasized the 

consequences of shore1 ine 

modification; he found 2.5 times as 

many brown shrimp and 14 times more 

white shrimp along a natural shoreline than along a bulkheaded shore1 ine. 

Water Movement 

The migration patterns and 

geographical distribution of shrimp 

may be controlled to a large extent 

by currents. Postlarvae rely on 

inflowing currents to move into 

estuaries (Hughes 1969b). In experimental tank studies, juvenile pink 

shrimp showed a positive rheotaxis, 

which gave way to active downstream 

swimming when sal ini ty decreased 

(Hughes 1969a). Juveni les were 

reported to move offshore on ebbing 

currents (Burkenroad 1949; Hughes 

1969b). In some south Florida bays, 

juveniles may move on each tidal 

change (Tabb et a1 . 1962). 

Adult pink shrimp are also 

positively rheotactic; this orientation to the water current may be a 

mechanical response, and may also be 

the result of optic fixation (Fuss 

and Ogren 1966). 

Other Envi ronmenta l Reaui rements 

Light is an important factor in 

control 1 ing activity of shrimp. Pink 

shrimp remain buried during day1 ight, 

emerge from the substrate at sunset, 

and become active at night (Hughes 

1968). In 1 aboratory studies, adult 

pink shrimp tended to burrow in the 
presence of solar light; they became 

active when light intensity diminished 

to less than 0.01076 lumens per m2 

(Fuss and Ogren 1966). Shrimp 

exhibited nocturnal activity when 

exposed to constant low-1 ight 

conditions for several days; this 

persistent pattern of nocturnal 

activity evinced a rhythmic control 

of burrowing and emergence activities 

(Hughes 1968). 

A1 though oxygen requi rements of 

pink shrimp are not known in detail, 

Subrahmanyam (1 976) indicated that 

oxygen consumption in pink shrimp 

followed a rhythmic pattern that 

coincided with the tidal cycle. 

Bishop et al. (1980) demonstrated that 

oxygen consumption of brown shrimp 

increased with increases in ambient 

temperatures. 

Diseases and Pollutants 

Pink shrimp are vulnerable to 

numerous diseases (Johnson 1978). No 

disease, however, exerts an appreciable impact on the commercial pink 

shrimp fishery (K. N. Baxter, National 

Marine Fisheries Service, Galveston, 

TX; pers. comm.). The whitish 

discoloration of body tissue, which is 

referred to as "milk" or "cotton" 

shrimp, is more noticeable than other 

"diseases" of shrimp. The condition 

is caused by high levels of 

microsporidian infection (Johnson 

1978). Commonly observed blackened 

areas of the exoskeleton are caused 

by chi tinoverous bacteria, which 

attack the edges or tips of exoskeletal parts and cause internal 

damage if they are able to enter the 

body (Johnson 1978). Detailed 

informaticn on shrimp diseases and on 

the responses of shrimp to nonpetrol 

chemicals and heavy metals is available in Costello and Allen (1970), 

Johnson (1978), and Couch (1978). 

Available evidence i~dicates 

that petroleum and other oil products 

have a negative impact on pen~eid 

shrimp. Refined and crude oil have 

been reported to be highly toxic to 

shrimp (Couch 1978). Sotoetal. 

(1981) detected the presence of 

petroleum hydrocarbons in marine 

sediments and in the body tissues of 

pink shrimp and other penaeid spec-ies 

caught on the Campeche Bank of 

Mexico. 

Botello et al. (1981) indicated 

that pink and brown shrimp were not 

able to metabolize high molecular 

weight hydrocarbons (obtained from 

oil from Kuwait), and stated that 

these toxic compounds would increase 

in concentration alonq the higher 

levels of the food chain, attaining 

their maximum concentration in man. 

Diesel fuel is highly toxic to protozoeal and naupliar stases of the 

shrimp Penaeus cal iforniensis 

(Botello et al. 1981). 
LITERATURE CITED 

Allen, D. M., J. H. Hudson, and T. J. 

Costello. 1980. Postlarval 

shrimp (Penaeus) in the Florida 

Keys: species, size, and 

seasonal abundance. Bull. Mar. 

Sci . 30: 21 -30. 

Anderson, W. W., M. J. Lindner, and 

J. E. King. 1949. The shrimp 

fishery of the southern United 

States. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. 

Comm. Fish. Rev. 11:l-7. 

Bent, A. C. 1926. Life histories of 

North American marsh birds. 

U.S. Natl . Mus. Bull. 

(Smi thsonian Inst. ) 135. 490 

PP. 

Berry, R. J. 1967. Dynamics of the 

Tortugas (Florida) pink shrimp 

p3pul ation. Ph. D. Dissertation. 

Univ. Mich., Ann Arbor. 177 pp. 

Berry, R. J. 1970. Shrimp mortality 

rates derived from fishery 

statistics. Proc. Gulf Caribb. 

Fish. Inst. 22:66-78. 

Bishop, J. M., J. G. Gosselink, and 

J. H. Stone. 1980. Oxygen 

consumption and hemolymph 

osmolal i ty of brown shrimp, 

Penaeus aztecus. U.S. Fish 

WildT. Serv. Fish. Bull. 78: 

741 -757. 

Botello, A. V., S. A. Castro, and L. 

Juarex M. 1981. Efecto de 10s 

hidrocarburos fosi les en las 

comunidades del genero Penaeus 

del Banco de Campeche, Mexico. 

Proc. Gulf Caribb. Fish. Inst. 

33: 69-80. 

Bureau of Commerical Fisheries. 

1962. Exploratory fishing for 

shrimp, scal lops, and small 

snappers in the south Atlantic: 

M/V Silver Bay Cruise 34. U.S. 

Fish Wild. Serv. Comm. Fish. 

Rev. 24: 29-31. 

Burkenroad, M. D. 1939. Further 

observations on Penaeidae of the 

northern Gulf of Mexico. Bull. 

Bingham Oceanogr. Collect. (Yale 

Univ.) 6:1-62. 

Burkenroad, M. D. 1949. Occurrence 

and 1 ife histories of commercial 

shrimp. Science 110:688-689. 

Copeland, B. J., and M. V. Truitt. 

1966. Fauna of the Aransas Pass 

Inlet, Texas. 2. Penaeid 

shrimp postlarvae. Tex. J. Sci. 

18:65-74. 

Costello, T. J. 1963. Pink shrimp 

life history. U.S. Fish. Wildl. 

Serv. Circ. 161 : 35-37. 

Costello, T. J., and D. M. Allen. 

1960. Notes on the migration 

and growth of pink shrimp 

( Penaeus duorarum) . Proc. Gul f 

Caribb. Fish. Inst. 12:5-9. 

Costello, T. J., and D. M. A1 len. 

1962. Survival of stained, 

tagged and unmarked shrimp in 

the presence of predators. 

Proc. Gulf Caribb. Fish. Inst. 

14: 16-20. 

Costello, T. J., and D. M. Allen. 

1966. Migrations and geographic 

distibution of ink shrim~ 

Penaeus duorarum of' the ~ortu~a; 

and Sanibel arounds. Florida. 

U.S. Fish ~iidl. ~erv. Fish. 

Bull. 65:449-459. 
Costello, T. J., and D. M. Allen. 

1968. Mortality rates in 

populations of pink shrimp, 

~ehaeus duorarum, of the ~anibel 

andrtuqas qrounds, Florida. 

U.S. ~ish" wiidl. ~e-rv. Fish. 

Bull. 66: 491 -502. 

Costello, T. J., and D. M. Allen. 

1970. Synopsis of biological 

data on the pink shrirr~p Penaeus 

duorarum duorarum Burkenroad, 

1939. FA0 Fish. Rep. 

Couch, J. A. 1978. Diseases, 

parasites, and toxic responses 

of comniercial penaeid shrimps of 

the Gulf of Mexico and South 

Atlantic coasts of North 

Anierica. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. 

Fish. Bull. 76:l-44. 

Croker, R. B. 1960. 1! contribution 

to the life history of the gra,y 

(mangrove) snapper, Lutjanus 

gri seus (Linnaeus). P.S. 

Thesis. Univ. Miami, Miami, 

Fla. 93pp. 

Cun!mings, W. C. 1961. Maturation 

and spawning of the pink shrimp, 

Penaeus duorarum Burkenroad. 

Trans. Am. Fish. SOC. 

90:462-468. 

Dobkin, S. 1961. Early 

developnlental stages of pink 

shrimp, Penaeus duorarum, from 

Florida waters. U.S. Fish 

Wildl. Serv. Fish. Bull. 

61 : 321 -349. 

Dugan, P. J., and R. J. Livingston. 

1982. Long-term variation of 

macro- i nvertebrate assenlbl ages 

in Apalachee Bay, Florida. 

Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci. 

14: 391 -403. 

Dumont, W. H., and G. T. Sundstrom. 

1961. Commercial fishing gear 

of the United States. U.S. 

Fish. Wildl. Serv. Circ. 198. 

61 PP. 

Eldred, B., R. M. Ingle, K. D. 

Woodburn, R. F. Hutton, and H. 

Jones. 1961. Biological 

observations on the commercial 

shrimp, Penaeus duorarum 

Burkenroad, in Florida waters. 

Fla. Board Conserv. Mar. Lab. 

Prof. Pap. Ser. 3. 139 pp. 

Eldred, B., J. Williams, G. T. 

Martin, and E. A. Jo.yce, Jr. 

1965. Seasonal distribution of 

penaeid larvae and postlarvae of 

the Tampa Bay area, Florida. 

Fla. Board Conserv. Mar. Lab. 

Tech. Ser, 44. 47 pp. 

Ewald, J. J. 1965. The laboratory 

rearing of pink shrimp, Penaeus 

duorarum Burkenroad. Bu1- 

Sci. 15:436-449. 

Fuss, C. M., Jr., and L. H. Ogren. 

1 966. Factors affectirg 

activity and burrowing habits of 

the pink shrimp, Penaeus 

-- duorarum Burkenroad. Biol. 

Bull. (Woods Hole, Mass.) 

130: 179-1 91 . 

Gunter, G. 1951. Consumption of 

shrimp by the bottle-nosed 

do1 phin. J. Mammal. 323456-466. 

Gunter, G., J. Y. Christmas, and R. 

Kil lebrew. 1 964. Some 

relations of solinity to 

population distribution of 

motile estuarine organisms, r/i th 

special reference to penaeid 

shrirnp. Ecology 45:181-185. 
Hildebrand, H. H. 1955. A study of 

the fauna of the pink shrimp 

grounds in the Gulf of Campeche. 

Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci. Univ. Tex. 

4:169-232. 

Hobson, E. S., and W. H. Lenarz. 

1977. Report of a col loquium on 

the mu1 tispecies fisheries 

problem, June 1976. Mar. Fish. 

Rev. 39:8-12. 

Hoese, H. D., and R. S. Jones. 1963. 

Seasonality of larger animals in 

a Texas turtle grass community. 

Publ. Inst. Mar. Sci. Univ. Tex. 

9: 37-47. 

Hoffman, W., D. Heinemann, and J. A. 

Weins. 1981. The ecology of 

seabird feeding flocks in 

Alaska. Auk 98:437-456. 

Huff, J. A., and S. P. Cobb. 1979. 

Penaeid and sergestoid shrimps 

(Crustacea: Decapoda). Memoirs 

Hourglass Cruises 5-4:l-102. 

Hughes, D. A. 1968. Factors 

control 1 ing emergence of pink 

shrimp (Penaeus duorarum) from 

the substrate. Biol. Bull. 

(Woods Hole, Mass. ) 134:48-59. 

Hughes, D. A. 1969a. Responses to 

salinity change as tidal 

transport mechanism of pink 

shrimp, Penaeus duorarum. Biol . Bull. (WoodsH' Mass.) 

Hughes, D. A. 1969b. On the 

irlechani sms underlying 

ti de-associated movements of 

Penaeus duorarum. FA0 Fish. 

Rep. 57-3: 867-877. 

Idyl 1, C. P. 1964. A summar,y of 

information on the pink shrimp, 

Penaeus duorarum. Paper 

presented to the CSA Specialist 

Meeting on Crustaceans 

(Zanzibar, Apri 1 19-26) 

64(10a):1-22. 

Iversen, E. S., and C. P. Idyll. 

1960. Aspects of the biology of 

the Tortugas pink shrimp, 

Penaeus duorarum. Trans. Am. 

Fish. Soc. 89:l-8. 

Iversen, E. S., and A. C. Jones. 

1961. Growth and migration of 

the Tortugas pink shrimp, 

Penaeus duorarum, and changes in 

the catch Der unit of effort of 

the fishery, Fla. Bd. Conserv. 

Mar. Lab. Tech. Ser. 34. 30 pp. 

Iversen, E. S., A. E. Jones, and C. 

P. Idyll. 1 960. Size 

distribution of pink shrimp 

Penaeus duorarum, and fleet 

concentrations on the Tortugas 

fishing grounds. U.S. Fish 

Wildl. Serv. Spec. Sci. Rep. 

Fish. 356:l-62. 

Johnson, S. K. 1978. Handbook of 

shrimp diseases. Sea Grant 

Col 1 ege Program. TAMU-SG-75- 

603. Tex. A&M Univ., Coll. 

Stn. 23 pp. 

Jones, A. C., D. E. Dimitriou, J. J. 

Ewald, and 3. H. Tweedy. 1970. 

Distribution of early 

developmental staqes of pink 

shrimp, Penaeus duorarum, in 

Florida waters. Bull. Mar. Sci. 
Joyce, E. A., Jr. 1965. The 

commercial shrimps of the 

northeast coast of Florida. 

Fla. Board Conserv. Mar. Lab. 

Prof. Pap. Ser. 6. 224 pp. 

Kennedy, F. S., Jr., and D. G. 

Barber. 1981. Spawning and 

recruitment of pink shrimp, 

Penaeus duorarum, off eastern 

Florida. J. Crustacean Biol. 

1:474-485. 

Knight, C. E. 1966. Mark-recapture 

experiments. U.S. Fish Wildl. 

Serv. Circ. 246:21-23. 

Kutkuhn, J. ti. 1962. Gulf of Mexico 

commerical shrimp populations -- 

trends and characteristics, 

1956-59. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. 

Fish. Bull. 62:343-402. 

Kutkuhn, J. H. 1966. Dynamics of a 

penaeid shrimp population and 

management imp1 ications. U.S. 

Fish Wildl. Serv. Fish. Bull. 

65: 31 3-338. 

Lassuy, D. R. 1983. Species 

profiles: life histories and 

envi ronmental requi rements (Gulf 

of Mexico) -- brown shrimp. 

U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Div. 

Bi 01 . Serv. FWS/OBS-82/11.1 . 14 PP. 

Marshall, A. R. 1958. A survey of 

the snook fishery of Florida, 

with studies of the biology of 

the principal species, 

Centropomus undecinial is (Bloch). 

Fla. Board Conserv. Tech. Ser. 

22. 39 pp. 

Flay, R. M., J. R. Beddington, C. W. 

Clark, S. J. Holt, and R. M. 

Laws. 1979. Manageme~t of 

mu1 tispecies fisheries. Science 

205: 267-277. 

McPherson, T. (chairman). 1982. 

Final report. Saltwater 

Fisheries Study and Advisory 

Council, Tallahassee, Fla. 

174 pp. (mimeo). 

Miyazaki, N., T. Kusaka, and M. 

Nishiwaki. 1973. Food of 

Stenella coeruleoalba. Sci. 

R~D. Whales Kes. Inst. Tokvo. 

Mock, C. R. 1967. Natural and 

a1 tered estuarine habitats of 

penaeid shrimp. Proc. Gulf. 

Caribb. Fish. Inst. 19:86-98. 

Moore, D. R. 1963. Distribution of 

the seagrass, Thalassia, in the 

United States. Bull. Mar. Sci. 

Gulf Caribb. 13:329-342. 

Munro, J. L., A. C. Jones, and D. 

Dimi triou. 1968. Abundance and 

distribution of the larvae of 

pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum) 

on the Tortugas Shelf of 

Florida , August 1962-October 

1964. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. 

Fish. Bull. 67:165-181. 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

1982. Fisheries of the United 

States, 1981. U.S. Natl. Mar. 

Fish. Serv., Resour. Stat. Div., 

Current Fish. Stat. 8200. 

Nichols, S. 1982. A brief 

assessment of the pink shrimp 

fishery in the eastern Gulf of 

Mexico. U.S. Natl. Mar. Fish. 

Serv. (S.E. Fish. Cent., Miami, 

Fla. ) SEFC/SAW/SHR/2. 15 pp. 

(mimeo) 
Pearson, J. C. 1929. Natural 

history and conservation of 

redfi sh and other commercial 

sciaenids on the Texas coast. 

U.S. Bur. Fish. Bull. 

44: 129-21 4. 

Perez Farfante, I. 1969. Western 

Atlantic shrimps of the genus 

Penaeus. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. 

mull. 67:461-591. 

Saloman, C. H. 1965. Bait shrimp 

(Penaeus duorarum) in Tampa Bay, 

Florida - biology, fishery 

economics, and changing habitat. 

U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Spec. 

Sci. Rep. Fish. 520:l-16. 

Soto, L., A. Garcia, and A. V. 

Botello. 1981. Study of the 

penaeid shrimp population in 

relation to petroleum 

hydrocarbons in Campeche Bank. 

Proc. Gulf Caribb. Fish. Inst. 

33:81-100. 

Subrahnanyam, C. B. 1976. Tidal and 

diurnal rhythms of locomotory 

activity and oxygen consumption 

in the pink shrimp, Penaeus 

duorarum. Contrib. Mar. Sci. 

20: 123-132. 

Tabb, D. C. 1961. A contribution to 

the biology -. of the spotted 

seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus 

(Cuvier) of east-central 

Florida. Fla. Board Conserv. 

Mar. Lab. Tech. Ser. 35. 22 pp. 

Tabb, D. C., D. L. Dubrow, and A. E. 

Jones. 1962. Studies on the 

biology of the pink shrimp, 

Penaeus duorarum Burkenroad, in 

Everglades National Park, 

Florida. Fla. Bosrd Conserv. 

Mar. Lab. Tech. Ser. 37. 30 pp. 

Van Lopik, J. K., K. H. Dru~nniond, and 

R. E. Condrey. 1979. Craft 

environmental impact statement 

and fishery manager~~ent plan for 

the shrimp fishery of the Gulf 

of Mexico, United States waters. 

Cent. k'etland Resour., La. 

State Univ., Baton Rouge. 

227 pp. 

Wickham, D. A. 1967. Observations 

on the activity patterns in 

juveniles of the pink shrimp, 

m: 

Penaeus duorarum. Bull. Mar. 

769-786. 

Williams, A. B. 1955a. A 

contribution to the life 

histories of commercial shrimps 

(Penaeidae) in North Carolina. 

Bull. Mar. Sci. Gulf Caribb. 

5:116-146. 

Williams, A. B. 1955b. A survey of 

the North Carolina shrimp 

nursery grounds. J. El i sha 

Mi tchell Sci. Soc. 71 : 200-207. 

Williams, A. B. 1958. Substrates as 

a factor in shrimp distribution. 

Limn01 . Oceanogr. 3: 283-290. 

Williams, A. B. 1960. The influence 

of temperature on osmotic 

regulation in two species of 

estuarine shrimps (Penaeus ). 

Biol. Bull. (Woods Hole, Mass.) 

11 9: 560-571. 

Williams, A. B. 1965. Marine 

decapod crustaceans of the 

Carolinas. U.S. Fish. Wildl. 

Serv. Fish. Bull. 65:l-298. 
Williams, A. B., and E. E. Deubler, Zimmerman, M. S., and R. J. 

Jr. 1968. A ten-year study of Livingston. 1976. Effects of 

meroplankton in North Carol ina kraft-mill effluents on benthic 

estuaries: assessment of macrophyte assembl ages i n a 

environmental factors and shall ow-bay system (Apal achee 

sampling success among bothid Bay, north Florida, U.S.A. ). 

flounders and penaeid shrimps. Mar. Biol. (Berlin) 34:297-312. 

Chesapeake Sci. 9:27-41. 
1 FtPURT DOCUMENTATION 

PAGE FWS/OBS-82-11 .17* -- 4. latie and Subtitle t 

'species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements 

lof Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (South Florida) -- Pink Shrimp - - - - 

7. 4ulhor(s) 

[rollrdei~lilliam H. Murdich, - and Ronald -- F Labisky -- 

9 Performtng Olganlral8on Name and Address 

School of Forest Resources and Conservation 

University of Florida 

118 Newins-Ziegler Hal 1 

Gainesville, FL 32611 

~~r~~~o~arne an0 Address 

--- 

National Coastal Ecosystems Team U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Division of Biological Services Waterways Experiment Station 

Fish and Wild1 ife Service, USDI P.O. Box 631 

ilihingtm. DC 20240 Vicksburq, MS 39180 IS. Suppkmenlary Nales 

5. Reahrf 3are 

October 1983 1 6. 

-~ .- -- 

8. Ferforming Organizsl!on Hept. No. 

- . - . - -- - - 

11. Conliacl(C: or Grant(G1 No. 1 

- -- - - -- - -- 13. Type of Repar( L Period Covered I 

*U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Report No. TR EL-82-4 

16. 4Ds:rac: (Limit: 200 words) 

-- 

The pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum) supports the most economically important commercial 

fishery in Florida. In 1981, exvessel landings, exclusive of the bait-shrimp catch, totalled 17 million pounds (heads-off), valued at $45 mill ion. Nearly half (48%) of the catch 

is taken from the Tortugas grounds, a fishing area not discovered until 1949; 28% of the 

catch is from the Sanibel grounds. Florida Bay and Charlotte Harbor/Tampa Bay are the 

nursery areas providing recruitment stocks for the Tortugas and Sanibel grounds, respectively. Larval pink shrimp immigrate from the offshore spawning grounds to estuarine and 

coastal bay nursery areas, entering as postlarvae (8 to 10 mm TL). Monthly growth rates 

during the juvenile stage of development vary from 7 to 52 mm TL. Sexual maturity is attained at 9 to 10 weeks of age, or at sizes of 85 mm TL for females and 74 mm TL for males, 

after which time they emigrate to offshore waters for spawning. Spawning occurs year-round. 

Recruitment similarly occurs year-round, with a major peak in spring and a secondary peak in 

fall. Prerecruitment stocks in fall have increased during the past 2 decades, whereas those 

in spring have remained stable. Pink shrimp are fully recruited into the fishery at 120 mm 

TL. The pink shrimp functions in the marine ecosystem as both a predatory and a prey species 

Pink shrimp, in estuarine habitats, tolerate a wide range of water temperatures (10°C to 

35°C) and salinities (5 to 47 ppt). Pollution by petrol- and non-petrol chemicals poses a 

potential contamination hazard to both pink shrimp and their estuarine habitats. Maintenance of the integrity of estuarine habitats is the mt3st critical need in the management of 

-+~-~QP~~~.~#R~-- - - - - - .- .- - . - . - .- - -- . 

I . Lacurrr.1 mnaiyris a Ocrcr,ptorr 

! Economics, habitats, harvest, growth, mortality, populations, recruitment , spawning 

Penaeus duorarum, pink shrimp, south Florida 

I / c iOLiTi F~eII!Croup 

.~ ----= .--- ~- 

It. ~~.la:~ ,iy Slatemen: 1;. 5+--.,1. L,~:: :-:,5 zVrr+ ! 2; :,P coz~rs 

I 

1 Unlimited Unclassified 2 1 

I 22. >.I.. '> ::.;r\ '-> i i*?.' 

1 ~ 

I 

~ - -- .-. Ab.5!-:-:~J.:8, 

Unclassified -__A ,? 2r,T10hk'- ,. FPcM 212 '<--: 
REGION 1 

Regional Director 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Lloyd Five Hundred Building, Suite 1692 

500 N.E. Multnornah Street 

Portland, Oregon 97232 

REGION 4 

Regional Director 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Richard B. Russell Building 

75 Spring Street, S.W. 

Atlanta, Georgia 30303 

REGION 2 REGION 3 

Regional Director Regional Director 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

P.O. Box 1306 Federal Building, Fort Snelling 

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87 103 Twin Cities, Minnesota 55 1 1 1 

REGION 5 REGION 6 

Regional Director Regional Director 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

One Gateway Center P.O. Box 25486 

Newton Corner, Massachusetts 02158 Denver Federal Center 

Denver, Colorado 80225 

REGION 7 

Regional Director 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

101 1 E. Tudor Road 

Anchorage, Alaska 99503 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

U.S. FISH AID WILDLIFE SERVICE 

As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our.nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes 

fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, 

preserving theenvironmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, 

and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in 

the best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for 

American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under 

U.S. administration.