Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Crustacea

Subclass: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Suborder: Pleocyemata

Infraorder: Caridea

 

Norwegian: reker

(Selva - The Trondheim fjord / 23 meters / 7.25.2005)

The prawns or shrimps are swimming decapods. Their elongated bodies are divided into three sections; the head, thorax and abdomen (tail). The carapace is a strong armor protecting the head and gills. The rostrum, the front spine of the carapace takes different shapes and can be used for identification in many cases.

The sexes are separate, some are hermaphrodites, they change sex from male to female during their life span.