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When
shrimp are involved, gender counts
Nature
News
UPI
WAIMANALO, HI, United States (UPI) -- A
U.S. study suggests while larger shrimp win
over smaller shrimp of the same gender in
food competition, such is not the same when
females are involved.
Scientists at the Oceanic Institute in Hawaii
found the smaller male shrimp nearly always
win when competing for food with larger female
shrimp.
'Both size and gender are important factors
in acquiring food,' said study author Dustin
Moss. 'But when you pit male against female,
gender becomes more important.'
Moss said the research supports the theory
that female shrimp aren`t larger because
they eat more food, but because they are
more efficient at using what they get.
More than 50 percent of the world`s shrimp
supply comes from farming. As that industry
tries to meet the growing demand for shrimp
and shrimp-based products, identifying shrimp
that grow more efficiently will be an important
tool to maximizing production.
The study appears in the Journal of the
World Aquaculture Society.
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