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The Penaeus monodon , or also Known as the Asian Tiger Prawn is an uncommon Florida Invasive Species known by their overall rusty brown color and the distinctive black and white banding across their back and on their tail. There is also a rarely seen color variant of the species with a conspicuous, wide, reddish-orange stripe along its back.

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A map of the native location of the Asian Tiger shrimp

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What is the native location and ecosystem of the Asian Tiger Shrimp?

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What is the native location and ecosystem of the Asian Tiger Shrimp?

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Originally the Asian Tiger Shrimp swam in Asian, Indo-Pacific, and Australian waters. They specifically inhabited shallow, mangrove areas and lagoons. They often eat lots of meat consisting of polychaete worms, mollusks, small crustaceans, and even other Asian Tiger Shrimp. Along with beef they also eat phytoplankton. Although they hunt a lot of sea creatures in their natural habitat they are hunted by creatures such as birds, comb jellies, large/average-size crustaceans, fish, and other Asian tiger shrimp. They often competed with other shrimp and crustaceans for their food. In their natural environment, they made a good food source and often hid in deep muddy waters until night. At night they would come out of the muddy water to eat. Unfortunately, they cannot survive in waters that are colder than 13°C. (Symbiotic relationship the shrimp used to have)

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A map of the invasive location of the Asian tiger shrimp.

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The Asian tiger shrimp, an invasive species invaded several parts of the United States. They specifically invaded the beaches of all of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. These little guys have also been spotted in Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Although scientists are not entirely sure how the shrimp got here they believe that when 2,000 or more foreign animals escaped from the Waddell Mariculture Center that the shrimp got into South Carolina waters. From South Carolina they were transported to Florida water’s through a hurricane. After invading the waters the cause havoc on the waters in many ways; they started to crowd out the native shrimp home to the waters, they also carry pathogens that the native shrimp are not able to handle, and when eating they harm a lot of the sea floor creatures that aren’t their food.

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Catching, selling, and eating: Selling, eating, and catching the shrimp is an effective method to limit the amount of them, because they are being put to use and not just killed for no reason.

Pros: Tiger shrimp are said to have good flavor, and by eating them they are not being put to waste. Catching them ensures that they truly are getting expelled from the water. Selling allows people to make a profit for doing a good thing by getting the invasive species out.

Cons: When eating shrimp, or any food, there is always a risk that the food could be raw or undercooked, which can make people sick. When selling Tiger shrimp, especially if sold still alive, you don’t know what the person buying is going to do with them and they could get released back into the water.

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Introducing natural enemies: We can release natural enemies into the waters that will kill and feed on tiger shrimp.

Pros: If the right species is introduced, this will effectively limit the number of tiger shrimp.

Cons: The new species introduced could become an invasive species, or be harmful to the ecosystem. The new species could disrupt the original food chain. We don’t know if the new species would be able to adapt, and they could just end up dying. Overall, this method requires a lot of reasearch any many experiments.

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Legal restrictions: Many states have placed legal restrictions when it comes to transporting and receiving tiger shrimp.

Pros: Many people and countries will follow these restrictions, limiting the amount of tiger shrimp being brought into the waters, especially because they can get fined or worse.

Cons: This doesn’t limit the amount of tiger shrimp already in the water.

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The Demographic on The Asian Tiger Shrimp

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The Demographic on The Asian Tiger Shrimp

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1. Size: Asian Tiger shrimp can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) in length, making them one of the larger shrimp species.

2. Physical Features: They are characterized by their distinctive black and white stripes on their shells, which resemble the pattern of a tiger. They have long antennae and a robust body.

3. Unique Traits: Asian Tiger shrimp are known for their adaptability to various environments, including freshwater and brackish water. They have a lifespan of about 1 to 2 years in the wild, but can live longer in captivity under optimal conditions.

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As a group, we have deciding that catching, selling, and eating is the best method to control the Asian tiger shrimp. This is because this way the tiger shrimp won’t be wasted and will be put to good use. At least with this method, they can be used for good instead of bad. For this method, we will have to get cooperation from others, so that we can all, collectively, work together to fight against the Asian tiger shrimp. We think this will address the problem because especially when it comes to eating, the shrimp are sure to die. To sell the Asian tiger shrimp, you will need to get a Saltwater License. We can measure the success of this method by getting scientists to analyze the numbers of them.

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Range and Habitat

Native to Indo-Pacific, Asian, and Australian waters, but are now found along the southeast and Gulf coasts of the United States from North Carolina to Texas. First observed in Florida waters off the coast of St. Augustine, 1988.

Prefer warm tropical waters. In their native range, larvae, juveniles and sub-adults occupy shallow coastal estuaries, lagoons, and mangrove areas. Sub-adults move offshore to breed, living on sand or muddy bottom in depths up to 340 feet.

Behavior

Typically feed on detritus, polychaete worms, mollusks, small crustaceans and algae.

Reproduction

Nocturnal animals that burrow during the day and come out at night to mate. Females can produce 50,000 to 1 million eggs per spawn.

Additional Information

A rapid growth rate and broad tolerance to salinity have contributed to the success of this species in aquaculture. They are the second most widely cultured prawn species in the world.

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