What is the difference between a prawn and a shrimp?

That is the $64,000 question!!! Basically it is only size (wgt) but different countries use different sizes to make the difference between the two. the smallest of course are shrimp but at what point does it's size become a prawn. I don't think there is a satisfactory answer to that question. Depends who you ask. I have asked that very same question here in the U.S. and in the orient and have never got an objective answer.

This is more difficult than at first it may appear.

To explain myself....

If you are in USA and you order "Surf n Turf" in a "Diner" you get Steak and "Shrimp".

I, on the other hand, ordering "surf & Turf"in a London "Restaurant" would Get Steak & "Prawns".

Simularly a popular starter would be "Prawn Cocktail" in London [Shrimp cocktail].

In the UK Prawns are juicy and usually pink, shrimp are more commonly grey, or transparent.

There are infact over 7,000 different species of "shrimp" throughout the world, some visible only under a microscope, some almost as big as crey-fish [or Lobster].

"Prawn" is a name often given to the pink more paleatable varieties "King Prawn" too, for larger ones, which we get [in UK] mainly in chinese restaurants.

the size prawn is a bigger version of a shrimp

Prawns are bigger and meatier, also the flavor is a bit different, they are both quite tasty though, they are different classes of the same species. Price may also vary markedly

A prawn is a shrimp on steroids. ( ^ _ ^ )

Biologically the gill structure is different, but the terms are used interchangeably in English.

they are two different things, it's like saying what is the difference between a cat and a dog or a apple and a orange

You play chess with a shrimp?

shrimp is small, prawn is bigger but lobster is more bigger!! Yummy...........!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prawns

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrimp