When a female shrimp carries eggs, she is often described as “berried” due to the appearance of the eggs clustered on her swimmerets. Once these eggs hatch, the tiny offspring embark on a complex developmental journey, leading many to wonder what these baby shrimp are called. The answer is not as straightforward as for many other animals, as shrimp undergo a remarkable transformation with multiple distinct stages.
The Direct Answer
There is no single common name for a baby shrimp, such as “kitten” or “calf,” primarily because their early development involves several highly distinct forms. Instead, scientists use specific terms to describe these different developmental stages. The general term for a newly hatched shrimp is “larva” (plural: larvae). As a shrimp develops, it progresses through several larval substages, each with its own scientific name: nauplius, zoea, and mysis. Following these, they reach a “post-larval” stage before becoming juveniles.
Understanding the Life Cycle
The progression through these named stages highlights the significant changes a shrimp undergoes. The nauplius, the first larval stage, is tiny with limited mobility, relying on yolk sacs for nourishment. This stage lasts about two days and involves several molts. It then transforms into the zoea stage, where the larva develops an elongated body with appendages for swimming and feeding. Zoea larvae feed on plankton and other microscopic organisms, lasting three to four days and molting multiple times.
The mysis stage follows, with larvae beginning to resemble adult shrimp more closely while still developing. They can swim and feed, consuming plankton and small organisms. This stage lasts several days, typically three to four, before the final larval molt. After the mysis stage, they enter the post-larval phase, appearing as miniature adult shrimp and transitioning to a bottom-dwelling lifestyle.
Why No Single Common Name?
The absence of a single common name for baby shrimp stems from their unique, complex life cycle, known as metamorphosis. Unlike mammals or birds, which undergo direct development where young resemble adults, shrimp experience indirect development. This involves multiple free-swimming larval forms that look remarkably different from the adult shrimp. Each larval stage adapts for specific survival strategies, such as dispersal or feeding on particular plankton.
Since shrimp larvae undergo significant physical transformations and occupy different ecological niches at each stage, distinct scientific terms are necessary to accurately describe their development. These precise names reflect the biological reality of their journey from a microscopic egg to a fully formed adult.