Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

White leg Shrimp has a scientific name, Litopenaeus vannamei. Whiteleg Shrimp is a native shrimp to the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Peru. The suitable temperature for Whiteleg shrimps is more than 20ºC throughout the year.

They can endure salinities from the range of 0 to 55 ppt.

Males have the total length of 187 mm and turn mature when the weight reaches 20 g, females also have the total length of 230 mm and both turn mature when the age of 6 to 7 months

In the late 1970s and 1980s Litopenaeus vannamei was introduced to the Pacific coast of the Americas in the USA and Hawaii and to the Atlantic coast from Carolina on to Brazil in the south.

Whiteleg shrimps breed well in captivity and can be stocked at small sizes. The species shows a fast growth at uniform rates and has relatively low protein requirements (20-25%). Therefore, Whiteleg shrimps have the ability to adapt to variable environmental conditions make the Whiteleg shrimp highly suitable for farming.

Litopenaeus vannamei is the most popular shrimp species farmed in the USA, Latin America and the Caribbean regions.