Difference Between Prawn and Crayfish

Prawn vs Crayfish

Prawn and crayfish are crustaceans. Though they belong to the same family, prawn and crayfish differ in many ways.

When comparing their physique, crayfish can be easily distinguished from prawns. Crayfish are bigger than prawns. Another noticeable difference is that a prawn is a saltwater crustacean, whereas crayfish is a freshwater crustacean.

Crayfish are also known as crawfish and crawdads, and they are closely related to lobsters. They have feather-like gills and are mainly found in fresh waters that do not freeze at the bottom. Crayfish are usually found in abundance in streams and brooks.

Prawns are smaller, and are closely related to shrimps. When compared to crayfish, prawns have branching gills. Unlike other crustaceans, prawns have claws on three pairs of their legs. It can also be seen that prawns, unlike other decapods, do not brood their eggs on Pleopads. On the other hand, prawns release their eggs into the water.

Another thing is that crayfish do not have pincers, and the meat is less sweet than that of prawns. When talking about prawns and crayfish as a dish, people prefer prawns to crayfish.

Prawns are divided into seven families – five in Penaeoidea and two in Sergestoidea. On the other hand, crayfish has three families – two in the Northern Hemisphere and one in the Southern Hemisphere.

When talking about fossil records, the earliest prawn fossils date back to 250 million years ago. The earlier fossils were traced from rocks in Madagascar. Crayfish fossil records older than 30 million years are rare.

Summary:

1. Crayfish are bigger than prawns.

2. Prawns are saltwater crustaceans, whereas crayfish is a freshwater crustacean.

3. Crayfish are also known as crawfish and crawdads, and they are closely related to lobsters. Prawns are closely related to shrimps.

4. Crayfish have feather-like gills and prawns have branching gills.

5. Unlike other decapods, prawns do not brood their eggs on pleopads, but release their eggs into the water.

6. Prawns are divided into seven families – five in Penaeoidea and two in Sergestoidea. On the other hand, crayfish has three families – two in the Northern Hemisphere and one in the Southern Hemisphere.

7. The earliest prawn fossil dates back to 250 million years ago. Crayfish fossil records older than 30 million years are rare.

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