Redspotted shrimp nigiri

Redspotted shrimp (Guiana pink)

【Nigiri sushi: Ebi/Kani】
Its flesh is soft and has good coloration. Among imported frozen shrimp, sushi restaurants use this species and yellowleg shrimp as sushi toppings. Both species are depleted, and their prices are skyrocketing. Redspotted shrimp are no longer treated as a substitute for Kuruma ebi as they were in the past; instead, they have become a high-end sushi topping.

【Alternate names】
Caribbean brown shrimp, brown shrimp, pinkspot shrimp, pinkspotted shrimp, and spotted pink shrimp.

【What is Guiana pink】
This shrimp is found in the Atlantic Ocean along the African coast and along the American coast from the Caribbean to Brazil. However, it is not found north of the Caribbean Sea. The maximum standard length is 17.0 cm. Adults live in muddy or sandy bottoms in marine habitats, while juveniles inhabit estuarine environments. Adults may also be found in lagoons.

It is also called New Guinea pink, which can cause confusion between the two names. Like Mexico brown shrimp, it is often used as a sushi topping. There is a single round spot on the outside of each shrimp that does not disappear even when boiled, making it easy even for an amateur to distinguish this species. Southern pink shrimp and southern brown shrimp also inhabit the same waters, but in Japan, they are sometimes collectively referred to as Guiana pink ebi.

【Related contents】
What is Meki? Substitute for Kuruma ebi?

List of Prawn (Ebi) and Crab (Kani)

(Revision date: October 5, 2026)