Common Prawn
Palaemon serratus
Habitat: Rocky shore and rock pools
Depth: 0-240m
Food: Seaweed and animal remains
Size: Up to 11cm long
Lifespan: 3-5 years
Conservation Status: Not Evaluated (NE)
Prawns are common in rock pools in the summer. They are almost transparent so are easy to miss as they hide in the seaweed. They can be told apart from shrimps as they have a long spine between the eyes (rostrum). Prawns can walk around the rock pool using the front 3 legs, swim in mid water using the paddle like legs under the tail, or swim quickly backwards by flicking the tail. The Common Prawn closely resembles the Rockpool Shrimp (Palaemon elegans), they can only be told apart by the number of teeth on the rostrum.