The eastern rock lobster is the largest species of lobster in the world, reaching up to 7 kg when fully grown. Few if any individuals reach this size, however, as the species has been heavily fished for many years. The commercial catch has fallen from around 400 t/yr in the 1980s to around 150 t/yr over the last decade.
Caribbean Spiny Lobsters,Panulirus argus, in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (a no-take marine reserve) seem to show no fear of humans. This big daddy was out in the open moving from coral head to coral across powdery white oolitic sand.
Drawings of spiny lobster and anatomical parts.Repository: Ernst Mayr Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard UniversityCall number: bAg 168.60.2 (3)
Ornate Spiny Lobster or Ornate Rock Lobster (Panulirus ornatus) in captivity at the Marine Gardens on Magnetic Island, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 4 October 1971.Digitised from a slide. The original slide, which is of higher quality, is held.www.inaturalist.org/observations/47481579
