Moulting
The Eastern King Prawn has a hard chitinous exoskeleton. Because of this it needs to shed its shell periodically so it can continue to grow similar to insects . The prawns shell is made up of calcium carbonate chitin and protein (Montgomery 2010). Before shedding it reabsorbs the majority of the protein and chitin whilst building the new shell underneath once ready the soft shelled prawn emerges from its old shell, and starts to harden its new shell, which allows for continued growth (Glaister,Lau& McDonall 1987; Montgomery 2010).
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