Pandalus

Pandalus (cold-water prawn) is a genus of shrimp in the family Pandalidae. Members of the genus are medium-sized and live on or near the seabed. Some species are the subject of commercial fisheries and are caught by trawling. One species, Pandalus montagui, lives in association with the reef-building polychaete worm, Sabellaria spinulosa.

Their lifespan is typically three to five years, with sexual maturity being reached at an early age. Members of this genus are protandric hermaphrodites, starting life as males and later becoming females. Reproduction takes place in the spring when up to 3,000 eggs are produced and fertilised internally. The female carries them around under the abdomen for about six days before they develop into planktotrophic larvae. These remain in the plankton for four to six months. During this time, they drift with the currents and have a dispersal potential of at least 10 km (6.2 mi) The shrimp have a rapid growth rate, so populations can build up quite rapidly after disturbance or habitat destruction.