Yes it is true. Incidentally, not only the heart but also practically the entire digestive system of this crustacean is located in the head. “The hepatopancreas is a glandular system that has liver, pancreas and stomach functions. It is located inside the cephalothorax, the body region of crustaceans and arachnids formed by the fusion of the head and thorax”, says biologist Edemar Roberto Andreatta, from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). The anatomy of the shrimp is characterized by a semi-transparent body, with a flexible abdomen. He has long antennae and modified appendages that help him swim. Depending on the species, their size ranges from a few millimeters to more than 20 centimeters.
In Brazil, there are more than a thousand species, the most important being the pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus paulensis) and the white shrimp (Litopenaeus schmitti). Most of these crustaceans live in the sea, but some are found in rivers and lakes. One of the largest freshwater shrimp in the world is the Malaysian one (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), which weighs up to half a kilogram and measures 30 centimeters.