| Prawn 
Generalized life cycle
of the prawn: Prawn are potandrous hermaphrodites, spending the early part of life
cycle as males and the later part as females. Breeding occurs in the fall and is usually
complete by the end of October. Females lay eggs which remain attached to abdominal
appendages until hatching in March and April, usually between 70-90 m water depth.
Free-swimming larvae or nauplii spend 2-3 months in plankton. Late and post-larvae remain
in shallow water (less than 54 m) until winter months. Prawn reside in shallow water bays
and inlets during first year because detritus from summer plankton and larger algae
production supports amphipods and mysids which are preyed upon by young prawns. One year
after hatching, at about 100 mm, prawns move to deeper (over 100 m) and by autumn males
reach 150 mm. In fourth spring, at 200 mm, they change to females. Maximum life span is 5
years, but most live 4 years, and maximum length for males is 230 mm and 253 mm for
females.
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