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Crustaceans are a subphylum of a vast army of animals with jointed appendages in the phylum Arthropoda. Within this phylum is the order Decapoda, which includes almost all of the larger crustaceans. They usually have five pairs of legs serving diverse functions, claw-bearing limbs (chelipeds), two pairs of antennae, and a number of small appendages around the mouth that have various feeding functions. Lobsters are decapod crustaceans with cylindrical bodies and flattened carapaces. They have long, muscular abdomens that end in broad tail fans, telsons. Lobster carapaces do not extend beyond the eyes into a rostrum and they are typically thick and hard. These animals are larger than shrimp and are always bottom dwellers. Lobsters are generally divided into two groups. The true lobsters are included in the first group in the family Nephropidae. They have enlarged pincers on the first pair of legs. The closely related family Enoplometopidae, the reef lobsters, is also included in this first group. The second group contains the family Palinuridae. These are the spiny and the deep-sea lobsters. Hawaii has sixteen species of lobsters, mostly from Palinuridae, but they also have the reef lobsters. Family Enoplometopidae These comparatively small lobsters have enlarged pincers on the first pair of legs. This characteristic puts them in the infraorder Astacidea, which closely relates them to the American Lobster in the family, Nephropidae. There are seven species in Hawaii. Bullseye Reef Lobster This lobster is much slimmer than the Red Reef Lobster. It is orange to red with white spots and bands, especially on the legs. A white circle marks each side, often surrounding a central red spot. It is common along the Kona Coast of the Big Island where we dive. It never strays far from shelter and never during the day, when it is to be found deep within caves. Red Reef Lobster This creature is also seldom seen during the day, but is commonly found resting in caves and crevices. It is a beautiful, formidable looking lobster, bright orange to purple red with white spots and markings. It also has long, stiff sensory hairs that cover most of the body and claws. It is one of my favorite photographic subjects. Family Palinuridae This family of spiny lobsters has pincers on the first pair of legs. Their bodies are covered with stout forward facing spines on both the carapace and antennae. They have only one pair of greatly enlarged antennae. These lobsters can be very abundant in crevices or caves. Banded Spiny Lobster This lobster is the darker of two commercial species found in Hawaii. It has a brown, reddish or purple carapace that is covered with light and dark nodules and spines. It has pink, purple and reddish spiny bases on the antennae. Its tail segments are purple or reddish with a narrow white band on the rear margin. The legs are black to blue-purple with orange leg joints and white lines running along the length of the leg. It is endemic to Hawaiian waters and found from a few feet to 600 feet. Tufted Spiny Lobster This lobster's carapace is greenish tan to bluish with light blue markings particularly along the base of its antennae. The antennae themselves are brown with whitish stripes. The legs are green or brown with yellowish stripes running lengthwise. This is the most abundant lobster in Hawaii at 20 feet or less, but it is found deeper. It often shares its refuge with the Banded Spiny Lobsters. It is named brush like because of its tufts of sensitive bristles on the tips of its walking legs. Family Synaxidae This is a very small family of lobsters that falls between spiny lobsters and slipper lobsters. Mole Lobster The Mole Lobster has a flattened orange body covered with short brown fuzzy bristles. They are found deep within lava tubes and caves and venture for food only after dark. Family Scyllaridae These are the Slipper Lobsters, also called Shovelnose Lobsters. Their antennae have evolved into thin, rounded plates, extending in front of a flattened body. They have no long spines or pincers, but instead depend on camouflage and armor for protection. They blend in well with the hard substrate upon which they are often found. By day they hide in caves and crevices and forage at night. Regal Slipper Lobster The Regal Slipper Lobster has a rough gray carapace, covered with tubercles tipped with red or yellow. For antennae it has gray blue plates with bright red banding and a few forward pointing spines with yellow tips. Its tail segments are primarily orange to red and beautifully sculptured. The legs are banded in yellow and orange. Sculptured Slipper Lobster Contrary to its species name, this lobster is found in warm seas around the world. Its rough carapace is flat and wide, almost oval, grayish to yellowish brown with darker mottling and beautiful, violet marks around the eyes and spines. The antennae are notched and banded by spines and bristles. It blends imperceptibly in with the substrate. It is often found in groups out in the open on tops of reefs and on ledges. This is Hawaii's most common lobster. |
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