Pigmentation is an important commercial trait for the marketing of prawns. Although natural and artificial pigments are an essential component of feed formulations and adjusted to optimise prawn colour, large variations in colouration have been observed. We conclude from this work that at least part of the reason for this variation is the ability of prawns to undergo camouflage, and to conceal or exhibit the astaxanthin pigment through movement within the chromatophores in their epidermal layers. We propose that in light surroundings, pigment is concentrated, and prawns appear lighter than when prawns are in darker environments, where pigment is more dispersed. Importantly, it is proposed that the chemical form of astaxanthin changes as it moves within the epidermal chromatophores, becoming esterified with fatty acids or alternatively, hydrolysed to free astaxanthin, as it moves from the concentrated to the
dispersed state (respectively)