WHATSTHATFISH
Crustaceans

Spotted Spiny Lobster

Panulirus guttatus

Also known as: Guinea Chick Lobster, Guinea Lobster, Rock Lobster, Sand Lobster, Spanish Lobster, Spotted Crawfish, Spotted Lobster, Star Lobster, White-spotted Spiny Lobster

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2011
Adult
@JolineCuracao · Curacao, Curaçao · September 20181 / 2
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Overview

Found singly, or in small squads, hiding during the day, in crevices, and rocks, dispersing at night foraging for food, over shallow water, rubble, and seagrass areas, of coral reefs.
They feed nocturnally on algae, crustaceans, and hard shell molluscs.

Lobsters live in caves and crevices during the day, often several together, coming out at night to feed.
Sometimes caught in the torches of divers where they scuttle off back into the dark.
They do not have true claws, the soft and flexible tail is used for swimming rapidly backwards, for short distances to get away from danger.
Spiny lobsters are caught in baited lobster pots for gourmet dining.

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How to identify

COLOURS

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly, or in small squads, hiding during the day, in crevices, and rocks, dispersing at night foraging for food, over shallow water, rubble, and seagrass areas, of coral reefs.

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Adult photos 2

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumArthropoda
    3. classMalacostraca
    4. orderDecapoda
    5. familyPalinuridae
    6. genusPanulirus
    7. speciesPanulirus guttatus (Latreille, 1804)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Spiny Lobsters (Palinuridae)