A Shrimp’s Heart is in its Head- Shrimps are aquatic animals that are very popular with people who like seafood. They can be found in both fresh and salt water.
Shrimp have ten legs and instead of a backbone, they have an exoskeleton that provides protection and structure for their bodies.
There are over 2,000 different shrimp species spread out all over the world and in every known marine niche, from the tropics to the Antarctic Ocean. The most common species found in our region are the Gulf Brown Shrimp, Gulf Pink Shrimp, and Gulf White Shrimp.
Details about Shrimps
According to Telangana Today, shrimp have their hearts along with other vital organs such as their stomach and ventral nerve cord inside of their heads due to the safety this part of the body provides over the tail-end.
But it does not mean that Shrimp’s brain is located on its chest. It is actually located on the shrimp’s true head, just after its eyes. Having organs located in their head is much more advantageous and safer.
That’s because the head (cephalic portion) is covered with thick protective substances. It’s much safer to protect their internal organ.
Sizes of a Shrimp
One of the fun facts about shrimp that you might not know is that these arthropods are quite good at swimming. They can propel themselves backward quickly by flexing the muscles of their abdomen and tail, or swim forward more slowly using the appendages on the underside of their tail.
Shrimp typically consume microscopic plant and animal matter by filtering the water around them or sifting through the ocean floor. Certain types of shrimp also catch and eat small fish.
Shrimp are an important source of food for many crabs, fish, sea urchins, whales, dolphins, and seabirds. Some species of shrimp also have a symbiotic relationship with fish and clean parasites, bacteria, and fungi of their host.
If you’ve ever prepared head-on shrimp, then you’ll know that the head and thorax are the thickest and hardest parts of the body. This section, known as the cephalic portion, is covered with a thick protective substance, known as an exoskeleton.
This exoskeleton guards the shrimp’s internal organs against harm, as damage to any of them could be fatal. Shrimp have evolved this way over time to help guarantee their survival.
That’s not the only interesting thing about shrimp hearts. They have three pairs of heart entrances where the blood comes in and out, circulating throughout the body. Compare this to the human heart, which has two pairs of chambers total: two atria up top and two ventricles down below.
This is because unlike human hearts, which only have one entrance and exit from the ventricle, crustacean bodies have to coordinate the opening and closing of multiple valves to stay oxygenated underwater.
You’ll want to keep this shrimp information in mind: if the small crustacean is a part of your diet, it may reduce your risk of developing cancer. That’s because shrimp contain selenium, an antioxidant mineral that activates enzymes to fight the growth of cancer-causing free radicals.
In a way, yes. Shrimps are crustaceans. According to the anatomy of a shrimp, its heart is located on its thorax just at the bottom of its head. Since the head and the thorax, which is the chest, are fused, a shrimp’s thorax looks like a part of its head.
It’s much safer to protect their internal organ. Also, the shrimp’s heart, located in its head, has three pairs of heart entrances. Through these entrances, blood comes to the heart. The arteries extend in many directions.
Here’s some shrimp information for anyone trying to eat healthily:
Shrimp is a very low-calorie food (a medium-cooked shrimp has about 7 calories), which means you can eat quite a few without feeling guilty. Shrimp also have a lot of protein and are particularly good for you when served with healthy carbs, like brown rice or vegetables.
There is often confusion regarding the difference between a shrimp and a prawn. Physically, they look very similar but there is one sure way to tell them apart.
In shrimps, the side plate of the second segment of the abdomen overlaps the segments in front and behind. But, on the other hand, prawns have all the abdominal side plates overlapping tile-like from the front.