Shrimp processing apparatus to remove pleopods of individual shrimp, along with methods for removing pleopods of individual shrimp are described herein. The shrimp processing apparatus may be provided in systems may include one or more processing stations configured to perform one or more of the following functions on each shrimp individually: measurement of individual shrimp, heading of individual shrimp, peeling of individual shrimp, and severing the mud vein of individual shrimp.