Marine Species Identification Portal : Red lobster

S.I. Smith, 1885

Diagnosis:
A medium-sized lobster. Body cylindrical. Carapace granular, with a well developed median rostrum armed with lateral and ventral teeth, but none on dorsal mid-line, and without longitudinal ridges behind the cervical groove. A pair of spines dorsally on carapace behind the cervical groove. Eyes well developed and pigmented. Antennae long and whip-like. Small antennal scales present. No spine on antennal peduncle near base of antennal scale. Tail powerful with a well developed tail fan, not conspicuously granular. Eachabdominal segment with a deep transverse groove. Pleura of second segment squarish in side view. First 3 pairs of legs ending in true chelae. First pair long and stout with large, flattened, naked fingers. Second pereiopod with fingers slightly less than half as long as palm.

Type:
Type locality: " Albatross" "Station 2143, March 23, 1884; Gulf of Darien; north latitude 9°30'45", west longitude 76°25'30"; 155 fathoms [= 284 m]; green mud". Female holotype in USNM, No. 6937.

Geographical Distribution:
Western Atlantic: southwest Caribbean Sea off Colombia and Panama.

Habitat and Biology:
Depth range between 230 and 360 (-400) m. Soft substrate (mud or coralline rubble).

Size:
Carapace length between 4 and 9 cm. Maximum total length about 20 cm.

Interest to Fisheries:
The species has been taken occasionally during exploratory commercial fishing. Its large size makes it an attractive fishery subject, but the fact that it seems to be scarce and lives in great depths detracts from its possible commercial value.

Red lobster (Eunephrops bairdii)