Shrimp shed their skin to grow bigger
To grow, shrimp dramatically shed their protective exoskeletons, a process called molting, which temporarily leaves them vulnerable but allows for bigger bodies and offers surprising sustainable uses.
Shrimp, like other crustaceans, must shed their hard outer shell, called an exoskeleton, to grow. This process, known as molting, leaves them temporarily soft and vulnerable. They absorb water to swell, splitting the old shell before wriggling out, sometimes leaving a perfect, ghostly replica behind.
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