Classified in the Decapoda Macroura category, shrimp are major crustaceans with thin laterally-flattened bodies. Over 1500 species exist; they are found in every tropical and temperate sea.

Shrimp are found in abundance along the coasts, but some also live in deep waters. The most common varieties are the brown or common shrimp, which usually does not exceed 6 cm (2 1/2”), and the northern or pink shrimp, which can reach 10 cm (4”). The Spanish term gambas refers to the pink “Algerian” shrimp fished in the deep waters of the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The latter reaches a length of 15-20 cm (6-8”). By extension, gambas or “prawns” are the names given to large shrimp, while the term “shrimp” refers to varieties under 10 cm (4”).