Panulirus argus

Caribbean spiny lobster
Panulirus argus
Panulirus argus, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Panulirus argus
Panulirus argus, Abrolhos Islands, Brazil, Photo: Graham Edgar
Panulirus argus
Panulirus argus, Abrolhos Islands, Brazil, Photo: Graham Edgar
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Panulirus argus
Panulirus argus
Panulirus argus

Distribution

Tropical Atlantic/Caribbean


Description

Red-brown carapace with orange legs, round white spots on every second plate on tail base, and horns above eyes black with white blotches. A major threat to this species is disease.


Information

Max Size: 45 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 22.1-30.5°C

Depth: 1-90m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Data Deficient

Occurrence: Frequent (10.8% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields