Marine Species Identification Portal : Easter Island slipper lobster

Holthuis, 1967

Diagnosis:
Cervical groove wide and deep in its median area, anterior margin of cardiac knob thereby high. Gastric and pregastric teeth distinct, well set off from rest of the carapace; pregastric tooth with a single tip. Carpus of the first pereiopod with a distinct dorsal groove, and without a conspicuous basal swelling. First somite of the abdomen with 3 spots, the central spot very indistinct, the lateral spots distinct. Outline of pleura of second abdominal somite broadly rounded. Abdominal somites 2 to 4 with median carinae more in shape of humps, gradually merging with the rest of the surface. Fourth abdominal somite of adult specimen not conspicuously higher than the third.

Type:
Type locality: "Hanga Pico, S.W. Easter Island". Holotype male in RMNH, no. D 21258.

Geographical Distribution:
Only known from Easter Island.

Habitat and Biology:
Very little is known about the ecology of the species, except that all known specimens were caught in lobster traps.

Size:
The carapace length of the type is 11 cm, the total body length about 30 cm.,

Interest to Fisheries:
The species so far is known only from 4 specimens all taken in lobster traps.There is no regular fishery for the species, the known specimens being all caught accidentally (Henriques, 1974: 4). Judging by the size of the specimens and by the fact that the other species of the genus are eaten, it is most likely that also S. roggeveeni is used as food.

Easter Island slipper lobster (Scyllarides roggeveeni)