Redspotted shrimp nigiri

Redspotted shrimp (Guiana pink)

【Nigiri sushi: Ebi/Kani】
Tokyo Bay was once a prime fishing ground for kuruma ebi (Marsupenaeus japonicus). However, according to data from the Fisheries Research and Education Agency, catches of kuruma ebi in Chiba and Kanagawa Prefectures peaked at 236 metric tons in 1956 before falling below 100 metric tons in 1970 and remaining at that level thereafter. Against this backdrop, Japanese research vessels conducted shrimp resource surveys off the coasts of Suriname and French Guiana from 1981 to 1983 in search of an alternative to kuruma ebi. These efforts are believed to have led to Guiana pink shrimp entering the Japanese market a few years later.

Subsequently, Guiana pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis) became an imported shrimp commonly used as a sushi topping, alongside Mexican brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus californiensis). In particular, Guiana pink shrimp were frequently served as steamed shrimp in lunch sets and seafood rice bowls, becoming a representative alternative to Japanese tiger prawns. Today, however, stocks of both species have declined, driving prices sharply upward. Rather than serving as inexpensive alternatives, as they once did, these shrimp have become premium sushi toppings.

【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: November 5, 2026)