California spot prawn, Santa barbara spot prawn, Monterey bay spot prawn, Alaskan prawn
Pandalus platyceros, also called California spot prawn (as well as Santa Barbara spot prawn and Monterey Bay spot prawn) or Alaskan prawn, is a shrimp of the genus Pandalus.
Spot shrimp are a large shrimp found in the North Pacific. They range from the clean waters off Unalaska Island, Alaska, to San Diego.The commercial spot prawn fishery along the British Columbia coast is considered sustainable as they "occur in sufficient numbers to support several small commercial and recreational fisheries" and provides the largest landed value to the BC shrimp fishery.
Spot prawn reach up to 27 centimeters in length, with females often longer than their male counterparts. Spot shrimp have a translucent, reddish carapace with white stripes and pereopods and antennae which are banded dark and light red. Their first and fifth abdominal segments have white spots. They are protandric hermaphrodites, meaning they first turn into males, with their appendix masculina lengthening while maturing and then gradually shortening until they turn into females.
Pandalus platyceros are found throughout the marine waters of the North Pacific Ocean. While found living from 3.7 meters to 457.2 meters, spot shrimp are most often found around 109.7 meters below sea level.
