Spiny Lobster—General Facts
Commonly referred to as the Florida spiny lobster, the Caribbean spiny lobster inhabits
tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico.
Spiny lobsters get their name from the forward-pointing spines that cover their bodies to
help protect them from predators. They vary in color from almost white to dark red-
orange. Two large, cream-colored spots on the top of the second segment of the tail
make spiny lobsters easy to identify. They have long antennae over their eyes that they
wave to scare off predators and smaller antennae-like structures called antennules that
sense movement and detect chemicals in the water.
Adult spiny lobsters make their homes in the protected crevices and caverns of coral
reefs, sponge flats, and other hard-bottomed areas. The lobsters spawn from March
through August and female lobsters carry the bright orange eggs on their undersides
until they turn brown and hatch. Larvae can be carried for thousands of miles by currents
until they settle in shallow nearshore areas among seagrass and algae beds. They
feed on small snails and crabs. The lobsters are solitary until they reach the juvenile
stage, when they begin to congregate around protective habitat in nearshore areas. As
they begin to mature, spiny lobsters migrate from the nursery areas to offshore reefs.
Lobsters stay in their dens during daylight hours to avoid predators, emerging a couple
of hours after dark to forage for food. While lobsters will eat almost anything, their
favorite diet consists mostly of snails, clams, crabs, and urchins. The lobsters return to
the safety of their dens several hours before sunrise.
The recreational fishery for the spiny lobster begins in July with a two-day sport season.
This season is the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July each year.
Regular spiny lobster season is August 6 through March 31.
It takes a spiny lobster about two years to grow to the three-inch carapace legal-
harvesting size and they can grow as large as 15 pounds. The typical recreational
harvest is 1.5 to 2 million pounds between the start of the two-day sport season and
Labor Day. The commercial harvest averages 6 million pounds per season, with an
average annual value of $20 million. Measured in dollars, the spiny lobster fishery is the
largest commercial fishery in Florida.
Commonly referred to as the Florida spiny lobster, the Caribbean spiny lobster inhabits
tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico.
Spiny lobsters get their name from the forward-pointing spines that cover their bodies to
help protect them from predators. They vary in color from almost white to dark red-
orange. Two large, cream-colored spots on the top of the second segment of the tail
make spiny lobsters easy to identify. They have long antennae over their eyes that they
wave to scare off predators and smaller antennae-like structures called antennules that
sense movement and detect chemicals in the water.
Adult spiny lobsters make their homes in the protected crevices and caverns of coral
reefs, sponge flats, and other hard-bottomed areas. The lobsters spawn from March
through August and female lobsters carry the bright orange eggs on their undersides
until they turn brown and hatch. Larvae can be carried for thousands of miles by currents
until they settle in shallow nearshore areas among seagrass and algae beds. They
feed on small snails and crabs. The lobsters are solitary until they reach the juvenile
stage, when they begin to congregate around protective habitat in nearshore areas. As
they begin to mature, spiny lobsters migrate from the nursery areas to offshore reefs.
Lobsters stay in their dens during daylight hours to avoid predators, emerging a couple
of hours after dark to forage for food. While lobsters will eat almost anything, their
favorite diet consists mostly of snails, clams, crabs, and urchins. The lobsters return to
the safety of their dens several hours before sunrise.
The recreational fishery for the spiny lobster begins in July with a two-day sport season.
This season is the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July each year.
Regular spiny lobster season is August 6 through March 31.
It takes a spiny lobster about two years to grow to the three-inch carapace legal-
harvesting size and they can grow as large as 15 pounds. The typical recreational
harvest is 1.5 to 2 million pounds between the start of the two-day sport season and
Labor Day. The commercial harvest averages 6 million pounds per season, with an
average annual value of $20 million. Measured in dollars, the spiny lobster fishery is the
largest commercial fishery in Florida.
| Caribbean Spiny Lobster - Florida Spiny Lobster |
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Parts of the Spiny Lobster
Abdomen
the "tail" of the lobster; includes the large tail muscle covered with a segmented shell,
the swimmerets, telson, and uropod
Antennae
the very long, whip-like structures attached just below the eyes
Antennules
much smaller than the antennae, thin and flexible, extend forward from under the eyes
Berry
female lobster carrying eggs under the tail is "in berry."
Carapace
the hard shell covering the cephalothorax
Dactyl
the last segment of a walking leg farthest from body; typically short and pointed
Larvae
independent early stage of an animal, typically very tiny and bearing no resemblace to
the adult
Mandibles
the thick crushing "teeth" portion of the mouth
Phyllosome
the tiny, ocean-going lobster larvae that have hatched from eggs
Pleopods
swimmerets
Puerulus
a specialized larvae between the phyllosome stage and juvenile lobsters that lack
mouth parts and swim from offshore areas to shallow nursery areas
Tailfan
the fan-shaped structure at the end of the tail, made up of the uropods and telson
Telson
the central part of the tail fan, somewhat rectangular in shape
Thorax
the central part of the body to which the walking legs are attached
Uropods
the outer, triangular sections of the tail fan; in lobsters two sections on either side of the
telson
Abdomen
the "tail" of the lobster; includes the large tail muscle covered with a segmented shell,
the swimmerets, telson, and uropod
Antennae
the very long, whip-like structures attached just below the eyes
Antennules
much smaller than the antennae, thin and flexible, extend forward from under the eyes
Berry
female lobster carrying eggs under the tail is "in berry."
Carapace
the hard shell covering the cephalothorax
Dactyl
the last segment of a walking leg farthest from body; typically short and pointed
Larvae
independent early stage of an animal, typically very tiny and bearing no resemblace to
the adult
Mandibles
the thick crushing "teeth" portion of the mouth
Phyllosome
the tiny, ocean-going lobster larvae that have hatched from eggs
Pleopods
swimmerets
Puerulus
a specialized larvae between the phyllosome stage and juvenile lobsters that lack
mouth parts and swim from offshore areas to shallow nursery areas
Tailfan
the fan-shaped structure at the end of the tail, made up of the uropods and telson
Telson
the central part of the tail fan, somewhat rectangular in shape
Thorax
the central part of the body to which the walking legs are attached
Uropods
the outer, triangular sections of the tail fan; in lobsters two sections on either side of the
telson
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Florida Keys Fish, Florida Keys Fishing Charters,
Dolphin Fishing, Swordfishing, Florida Keys Fishing
Guides, Florida Keys Offshore Fishing, Florida Keys
Deep Sea Fishing, Florida Keys Flats Fishing,
Florida Keys Back Country Fishing, Tarpon Fishing,
Bonefishing, Florida Keys Fly Fishing, Reef Fishing,
Wreck Fishing, Bridge Fishing, Deep Drop Fishing,
Lobstering in the Florida Keys, Stone Crabbing,
Shrimping, Spearfishing, Fishing Regulations and
much more!