California Spiny Lobster
Classification
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Arthropoda
Class - Malacostraca
Order - Decapoda
Family - Palinuridae
Genus – interruptus
Common Name
California Spiny Lobster
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Arthropoda
Class - Malacostraca
Order - Decapoda
Family - Palinuridae
Genus – interruptus
Common Name
California Spiny Lobster
Morphology |
Biology |
Distribution Map
Importance: Ecological and Economical
The California spiny lobster is now the most economically important lobster on the American West Coast
At night, they emerge and feed on sea urchins, clams, mussels and worms. This activity is important in limiting sea urchin populations, and so maintaining healthy seabed communities
At night, they emerge and feed on sea urchins, clams, mussels and worms. This activity is important in limiting sea urchin populations, and so maintaining healthy seabed communities
Interesting Facts
If a predator is very close, spiny lobsters will flex their muscular tail in order to escape the predator, backwards.
The California spiny lobster is one of the largest spiny lobster species.
Because all the hard parts are lost at each molt, the life span of mature spiny lobsters is uncertain.
Spiny lobsters do not have the gonopods that occur in clawed lobsters.
The full series of larval molts takes around 7 months.
The California spiny lobster is one of the largest spiny lobster species.
Because all the hard parts are lost at each molt, the life span of mature spiny lobsters is uncertain.
Spiny lobsters do not have the gonopods that occur in clawed lobsters.
The full series of larval molts takes around 7 months.
Vocabulary
Predator- An organism that lives by preying on other organisms.
Gonopod- Either member of a pair of appendages that are the external reproductive organs of arthropods.
Seabed- The floor of the sea or the ocean.
Sea Urchin- Any of various echinoderms of the class Echinoidea, having a soft body enclosed in a round, symmetrical, calcareous shell covered with long spines.
Mussels- Any of several marine bivalve mollusks.
Gonopod- Either member of a pair of appendages that are the external reproductive organs of arthropods.
Seabed- The floor of the sea or the ocean.
Sea Urchin- Any of various echinoderms of the class Echinoidea, having a soft body enclosed in a round, symmetrical, calcareous shell covered with long spines.
Mussels- Any of several marine bivalve mollusks.