Logo Web Animated
Logo Ue
Species Guide

Pacific White Shrimp

Camaron Blanco Pacifico2
  • Spanish Name: Camarón Blanco del Pacífico
  • English Name: Pacific White Shrimp
  • Scientific Name: Penaeus vannamei
  • Type of specie: Crustaceans
  • Order: Decapoda
  • Family: Penaeidae

Habitat

  • Natural: Tropical coastal waters with sandy and muddy bottoms.
  • Farming: Coastal ponds, semi-intensive, and intensive farming systems.

General Description

  • Body shape: Elongated, with a semi-transparent shell and long legs.
  • Distinctive features:

    Whitish-blue coloration with translucent tones, long antennae, and a clear band on the abdomen.

Size and Weight

  • Average length: Typically between 15 and 25 cm, although in its natural habitat, it can reach up to 30 cm.
  • Average weight: Typically between 20 and 30 g in farming; some exceptional specimens can exceed 50 g under optimal conditions.

Life Cycle

Requires saltwater for reproduction but can be farmed in low-salinity environments.

Adaptations

High resistance to temperature and salinity variations, making it suitable for cultivation in different regions.

Juveniles farming systems

Raised in specialized hatcheries with controlled salinity.

Grow-out farming systems

Conducted in coastal ponds, semi-intensive, and intensive farming systems.

Return to the species guide
Discover our feeding systems
  • Geographical distribution
Tropical coastal zones of the Pacific, from Mexico to Peru.
  • Main producing countries
China, Ecuador, Thailand, India, Vietnam.
  • Commercial value

The most widely farmed shrimp species worldwide due to its fast growth and high profitability.

  • Additional uses

Shell: Source of chitin and chitosan for biomedical and industrial applications.

By-products: Shrimp meal used in fish and poultry feed.

  • Common preparation methods
Sold fresh or frozen, used in soups, grilled, garlic shrimp, sushi, and gourmet dishes.