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The white shrimp Penaeus setiferus (Linnaeus) is an abundant species in the coastal lagoons and estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico. This species is well adapted to environments of low salinity and can tolerate low levels of dissolved oxygen. This study was designed to measure the effects of prolonged hypoxia and salinity level on: (a) the oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion, (b) the metabolic substrate (O:N) on fasting (24 h) and feeding animals, (c) the osmotic pressure of the hemolymph and, (d) the body water content of P. setiferus juveniles. The shrimp were exposed to different levels of dissolved oxygen (DO of 2, 3, 4 and 5.8 mg l⁻¹) and two salinities (15 and 35‰) for a period of 60 days. Results indicate that these animals are oxyregulators between 5.8 and 4 mg l⁻¹ DO and oxygen conformers between 3 and 2 mg l⁻¹ DO in both salinities. There was not a significant effect of salinity on the oxygen …