Caribbean spiny lobster

Panulirus argus

The Caribbean spiny lobster has a heavily spined body but no large front claws. It hides by day and searches coral reefs and seagrass beds at night.

Not a fish · an aquatic neighbor

Water

Saltwater + Brackish

Seagrass, mangroves, sponges, coral reefs, and rocky shelters.

Temperature

Range not established

A dependable species-specific wild temperature range was not established from the reviewed sources, so both values are null.

Size

Up to about 46 cm (18 in) and 6.8 kg (15 lb)

About as long as a school ruler

Lifespan

May live 15 years or more.

Life expectancy varies with place, conditions, and what scientists have been able to observe.

01 · Signature adaptation

What does it do?

It is nocturnal and shelters in crevices, sponges, and reef holes during the day. Adults may migrate in single-file groups toward deeper water when conditions become cold or turbid.

Its superpowerIts long antennae help detect predators and chemicals while its spines provide protection.

02 · Home coordinates

Where does it live?

North Carolina and Bermuda through the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and south to Brazil.

Regions: Caribbean Sea · Gulf of Mexico · Western Atlantic

03 · The menu

What does it eat?

Juveniles and adults forage over the bottom for mollusks and other invertebrates, plus carrion.

Carnivore: snails, clams, crabs, sea urchins, carrion.

04 · Remember this

Two wow facts

No big claws

Unlike clawed lobsters, this species protects itself with body spines and very long antennae.

Sources [1]

Long larval journey

Its leaf-shaped larvae drift in the open ocean before settling into coastal nursery habitats.

Sources [1]