# Crangon crangon The common shrimp is a small, tasty creature that lives in the sea. It has a long body and can be found hiding in the sand or swimming in the water. Kids love to see them at the beach! - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** Brown Shrimp ![Crangon crangon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Crangon_crangon_%28dorsal%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crangon_crangon_%28dorsal%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Crangon crangon is a small, translucent shrimp, often sandy-grey or brownish, allowing it to blend perfectly with the seabed. It lacks the prominent claws of true crabs and has a relatively flattened body, making it appear highly camouflaged in its environment. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Malacostraca - **Order:** Decapoda - **Family:** Crangonidae - **Genus:** Crangon ## Interesting facts - A single female can lay thousands of eggs multiple times a year, ensuring many babies! - Crangon crangon often feed at night when it's much safer from hungry birds and fish! - These shrimp have special stalked eyes that can look in different directions at once! - They are so good at hiding, they can bury themselves in sand in less than a second! ## Special abilities - **Color Chameleon:** Crangon crangon can rapidly change its body color to match the seabed, helping them disappear from hungry predators. - **Burrowing Expert:** Crangon crangon can quickly bury itself partially in sand, providing excellent camouflage and protection from danger. - **Sensory Feelers:** Crangon crangon has long antennae that help them find food and navigate in murky water, even in the dark. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 5-9 cm - **Weight:** 0.002-0.015 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-3 years - **Swim Speed:** 1 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 100 m - **Water Type:** Brackish ## Diet & Feeding These tiny shrimp are scavengers and hunters, feasting on small invertebrates and detritus on the seabed. - **Primary Foods:** small crustaceans, marine worms, detritus, algae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** European plaice (*Pleuronectes platessa*) — A common flatfish predator found in shared sandy habitats. - **Eaten by:** [Atlantic cod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-cod) (*Gadus morhua*) — An important prey item for larger fish species in coastal waters. - **Eats:** Lugworm (*Arenicola marina*) — Consumes small marine worms found in the sediment. - **Eaten by:** [Common tern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-tern) (*Sterna hirundo*) — Shorebirds often hunt shrimp in shallow coastal waters. ## Traits - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching sea creatures and be gentle with them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Crangon crangon? Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Crangon crangon? 5-9 cm ### How much does Crangon crangon weigh? 0.002-0.015 kg ### How long does Crangon crangon live? 2-3 years ### What does Crangon crangon eat? These tiny shrimp are scavengers and hunters, feasting on small invertebrates and detritus on the seabed. ### How fast can Crangon crangon swim? 1 km/h ### Where is Crangon crangon usually found? Coastal areas ### How does Crangon crangon hunt? Foraging ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Crangon crangon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crangon-crangon)