How can you tell if a shrimp is a male or a female?

Size & Coloration: With many species the female is typically larger than the male. Also, the female is sometimes darker or more robust in coloration. As with the Red Cherry Shrimp, the female is not only larger but a much darker red coloration. The male Red Cherry Shrimp is instead almost colorless at times and much smaller. Females of some species may also display a line down their backs. Below is a photo of two Red Cherry Shrimp, one male and one female. Notice the size difference and more importantly the difference in coloration.

Gender Attributes: There are also other methods to easily sex a shrimp. Certain identifiers, or attributes, can differentiate a male from a female without question. These attributes typically involve the female and certain aspects of her anatomy that do not appear in males. Some of these attributes also occur at certain periods whereas some with appear at all times. Of course a female currently holding eggs will tell you that it is indeed a female. However, when eggs are not present there are other ways to tell.

The "Saddle": Once of the most common and distinguishable attributes is the appearance of a "saddle" or miniature undeveloped eggs in the ovaries. The term "saddle" comes from the fact that that the undeveloped eggs appear on the back of the shrimp, behind the head, which looks like the saddle on a horse. Below is a photo of the Yellow Shrimp with both eggs as well as a "saddle". Notice in the first photo how the "saddle" actually looks like a real saddle you would find on a horse. In the second photo notice the tiny undeveloped eggs that actually make up the "saddle".

Curved Underbelly: Another way to tell the difference between a male and a female is the appearance of a curved underbelly, or the region underneath the tail. When the female is pregnant the underbelly acts as a defense against potential damage to the eggs. The curved underbelly appears in females of many species of shrimp but there are some species which do notpossess this characteristic regardless of sex. The lack of an underbelly does not necessarily mean that the shrimp is a male. It really depends on age and more importantly the species of shrimp in question. Below is a photo of a Crystal Red Shrimp Female with a distinctive curved underbelly.

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http://www.planetinverts.com/shrimp_reproduction.html