Seafood ID Day 10: Crustaceans

Crustaceans

a diverse group of arthropods that include a wide variety of familiar marine and freshwater species such as crabs, lobsters, shrimp, crayfish, and barnacles. They are characterized by having a hard exoskeleton that they must periodically shed in a process called molting in order to grow. Crustaceans have jointed limbs, segmented bodies, and bilateral symmetry

How do most crustaceans breathe

gills

What appendages do most crustaceans have

e two pairs of antennae, various pairs of legs, and appendages that are specialized for feeding, locomotion, and reproduction

Decapoda (Shrimp)

Characterized by their ten legs and elongated bodies encased in a chitinous exoskeleton, which they molt to grow, a crucial component of the aquatic food chain, serving as both predators and prey. Their segmented bodies and flexible tails enable swift movements in water, making them adept at escaping predators and capturing prey

White Shrimp

Distinguished by its large size, long slender rostrum with distinctive teeth distribution, and translucent body with light colorations on the tail. Herbivores and only shrimp farmed in the Americas. Wild catch represents approximately 30% of the total. Usually higher costing than others, western Atlantic Ocean, ranging from the waters of Fire Island, New York, to Campeche, Mexico, including the entire Gulf of Mexico

Brown Shrimp

Characterized by its reddish-brown to olive-green coloration, a grooved rostrum with teeth on both edges, and its preference for muddy bottoms in coastal waters. Omnivores with inconstant flavors, western Atlantic Ocean, particularly from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico, and along the coasts of Central and South America

Pink Shrimp

Distinguished by its light pink to grayish coloration, long antennae, and the presence of two distinctive grooves on the top of its carapace. Omnivores and is a minority catch From the southern U.S, Western Atlantic Ocean, ranging from the Chesapeake Bay down to the Florida Keys and along the Gulf of Mexico, extending to the Yucatan Peninsula

Tiger Shrimp

distinguished by its large size, reaching up to 13 inches in length, and its striking appearance with a dark, black-striped shell. Other identifying features include a robust body with a prominently serrated rostrum, and long, banded antennae, which make it easily recognizable among shrimp species, Native to the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the eastern coast of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, across South and Southeast Asia, to northern Australia

Pacific White Shrimp

Translucent whitish body with light blue tinges on the legs and tail. It typically reaches about 9 inches in length and has a slender, streamlined body with a slightly compressed abdomen, making it well-adapted to its aquatic environment. This species is also notable for its long antennae and relatively uniform coloration, which lacks the distinctive patterning seen in some other shrimp species, e eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from the coastal waters of Sonora, Mexico, to northern Peru. It is particularly prevalent in the waters off the coasts of Central and South America

Prawns

Similar to shrimp and often confused with them, but they belong to different branches of the crustacean family tree, have longer legs and a second pincers that are larger than the front ones, also typically have their body segments overlap in a different pattern: the second segment overlaps the first and third segments.

Green

shell on uncooked can be head on or headless

PUD

peeled, un-deveined

P&D

peeled and deveined

PQD

peeled deveined and quick frozen

Sand track

back vein of shrimp, digestive tract

How are shrimp sold

count per pound

Crabs

crustaceans known for their distinctive features including a hard exoskeleton, two prominent claws, and a unique method of sideways locomotion. Their diet primarily consists of algae, bacteria, and small organisms, which they capture using their strong pincers, most their eggs into the water, which then undergo several larval stages before maturing

Soft Shell - Blue Crab

distinguished by its brilliant blue claws, olive-green shell, broadly oval carapace with lateral spines, and sexual dimorphism with males featuring a narrow abdomen and females a broader, rounded abdomen with red-tipped claws, notably agile and aggressive, both in foraging and in defense. They are primarily active during the night, Western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico

Red King Crab

One of the largest crab species, easily identifiable by its impressive size, with a leg span reaching up to 5 feet, and a vibrant red or burgundy shell. These crabs possess a hard, spiny exoskeleton and large, powerful claws that are not only tools for defense but also effective in hunting and feeding on a variety of smaller organisms, such as mollusks, worms, and other crustaceans

Snow Crab

Smaller than the giant king crabs, with adults typically featuring a carapace width of about 3 to 6 inches. They are known for their sweet, delicate flavor and firm, fibrous texture. Snow crabs are covered with a hard shell that is tan to brown in color, and they have long, slender legs which are highly prized for their meat

Florida Stone Crab 

Found in the western North Atlantic, from Connecticut to Belize, including Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, and the Bahamas. It is particularly abundant in Florida waters. This crab is known for its robust claws, which are harvested commercially and are considered a delicacy. One unique feature of this species is its ability to regenerate its claws, brownish shell with gray spots and a tan underside

Dungeness Crab

Regarded for its sweet, tender meat and is a popular seafood choice in the United States, particularly on the Pacific coast, have a wide, long, hard shell and five pairs of legs, including one pair of large, strong claws that are used for feeding and defense. They can typically reach up to 10 inches across the back

Market forms for blue crab meat

Jumbo - Two largest pieces from the Crab. Backfin - Some large pieces, some small. Special - Smaller shredded pieces. Claw - Claw meat only

Jonah

Picked crab meat from the Jonah Crab from Maine

Stone Crab Bitters

claws on, fully cooked

Legs

fully cooked, only legs, no head

Hepatopancreas

"crab fat" or "mustard" in culinary contexts, is an organ that serves multiple functions similar to the liver and pancreas in vertebrates. It is involved in the production of digestive enzymes and absorption of digested nutrients, as well as the storage of fats and detoxification of the crab’s system. It can accumulate toxins and should be eaten with caution

American Lobster

-Also known as the Maine lobster, this species is found on the Atlantic coast of North America, from Labrador to New Jersey. A bluegreen to brown shell, two distinctly unequal-sized claws— the larger crusher claw for pulverizing prey and the fine ridged ripper claw for tearing food

European Lobster

Found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, from Norway to the Azores and Morocco. A marine crustacean with a dark blue shell, heavy body, and substantial claws, including one larger crusher claw and a smaller cutter claw, native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Mediterranean Sea

Caribbean Spiny Lobster

Characterized by its long, cylindrical body covered with forward-pointing spines and a pair of long, whip-like antennae. Its body is usually brownish or greenish with yellow spots on the segmented tail, which helps in camouflage, tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and as far north as Bermuda, extending south to Brazil

Langoustine 

large, prominent compound eyes on movable stalks, enhancing their vision in the dimly lit environments of the ocean floor. Their narrow, segmented tails are well-suited for quick burrowing in soft, muddy substrates, a common trait that helps them avoid predators and capture prey, found in the cold waters of the northeastern Atlantic, from Iceland and Norway to the Azores and the Mediterranean Sea

Crayfish

species is distinguished by its dark red color, robust claws, and an aggressive nature. It is highly adaptable and has been introduced to various global environments where it often becomes an invasive species, farmed and is particularly popular in southern U.S. cuisine, thrives in a variety of freshwater habitats, including rivers, lakes, and swamps, and is known for its ability to survive in low-oxygen environments and temporary droughts by burrowing into the mud