WAIMANALO, Hawaii, Dec. 12 (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.
