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Spiny Lobster

Caribbean spiny lobster

Panulirus argus

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Fun Facts

This species of lobster doesn't have large front claws, like American lobster. 

Species Type:

Invertebrates

Common Name(s):

Caribbean spiny lobster

Size:

These lobsters grow up to 1.5 feet (18 inches) long and can weigh 15 pounds (7 kilograms).

Diet:

Adult Caribbean spiny lobsters eat snails, crabs and clams. Young lobsters feed on plankton floating by in the water column.

Range & Habitat:

Throughout the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, these lobsters inhabit coastal bays, estuaries and coral reefs. When they travel offshore, they hang around soft-bottom habitats and seagrass meadows.

Details:

Caribbean spiny lobsters have a reddish-brown shell, with occasional darker and whiter spots. They get their name from the pointy spines that cover their body, protecting them from predators. They also have long antennae over their eyes to ward off predators.