Species profiles: life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (Pacific Southwest). Spiny lobster. [Panulirus interruptus]

Technical Report · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5390286

Shaw, W N

The spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) supports a valuable commercial and sport fishery along the southern California coast. Mating takes place from March to August in water 50 to 100 ft deep. The larvae pass through 11 pelagic stages in 7 to 9 months. the puerulus stage lasts another 2.5 months before the lobster transforms into the benthic form. Age at sexual maturity is 3 to 6 years for males and 5 to 9 years for females. Spiny lobsters are caught incommercial traps from October through March. Sport fishing for lobsters is mainly done by skin divers and scuba divers. Juveniles live in shallow coastal waters under the protection of plant cover; adults live in crevices or dens. Larvae are plankton feeders and adults are omnivorous, primarily scavengers. Because of a scarcity of information on larval food requirements and the slow larval growth rate, profitable mariculture of the spiny lobster currently is not feasible.

• Research Organization: Humboldt State Univ., Trinidad, CA (USA). Fred Telonicher Marine Lab.; Fish and Wildlife Service, Slidell, LA (USA). National Wetlands Research Center
• OSTI ID: 5390286
• Report Number(s): TR-EL-82-4/82-11.47; ON: TI86901604
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520100* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARTHROPODS
BIOLOGY
CALIFORNIA
COASTAL WATERS
CRUSTACEANS
DECAPODS
ECOLOGY
FEDERAL REGION IX
FISHING INDUSTRY
HABITAT
INDUSTRY
INVERTEBRATES
LOBSTERS
MORPHOLOGY
NORTH AMERICA
PACIFIC OCEAN
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
TAXONOMY
USA