Selection of Vegetated Habitat by Brown Shrimp, Penaeus-Aztecus, in A Galveston Bay Salt-Marsh

Densities of the brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus, in vegetated and nonvegetated habitats of a Galveston West Bay salt marsh were compared. Each of 81 sample pairs taken between 29 March and 23 July 1982 consisted of one sample from Spartina alterniflora habitat and another from nonvegetated habitat. Overall a mean density for shrimp of 11.7/sq m in vegetation was significantly greater than the mean density of 1.4/sq m in nonvegetated habitat (P<0.001, t-test, 81 paired observations). In addition, shrimp densities varied according to a pattern of lower numbers and less apparent attraction to vegetation in the outer bayside part of the marsh to that of highest numbers and greatest attraction in the innermost marsh.