FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Volume 13 FIR/S125 Vol. 13 FAO SPECIES CATALOGUE VOL. 13 MARINE LOBSTERS OF THE WORLD An Annotated and illustrated Catalogue of Species of Interest to Fisheries Known to Date FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Publications Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. © FAO Rome 1991 Cover illustration: the Atlantic deep-sea lobster (Acantacharis caeca) in aggressive posture outside its burrow. Drawing by M. D'Antoni. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Volume 13 FIR/S125 Vol. 13 FAO SPECIES CATALOGUE VOL, 13 MARINE LOBSTERS OF THE WORLD An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Species of Interest to Fisheries Known to date prepared by L. B. Holthuis Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Leiden, The Netherlands FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 1991 iii PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT Lobsters are among the most prized of fisheries resources and of significant commercial interest in many countries. Because of their high value and esteemed culinary worth, much attention has been paid to lobsters in biological, fisheries, and systematic literature. The present volume represents a comprehensive treatment of the identification, taxonomy, distribution, biology and ecology of the world’s lobsters that are of interest to fisheries. The author of this catalogue, Dr L.B. Holthuis, is one of the world’s foremost authorities on crustaceans. He prepared the first volume in the FAO species catalogue series,“Shrimps and Prawns of the World” published in 1980. He also has collaborated with FAO in the preparation of crustacean species identification sheets for the eastern central Atlantic, the western Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean/Black Seas, and by revising the information on crustaceans for most of FAO’s national field guides to commercial marine resources in Africa and Asia. One of his areas of specialization is lobsters and since 1946 he has been the sole or senior author for over 25 taxonomic articles concerning this group; more than any other author, past or present. His work on lobsters has included the examination of specimens from the major museums of the world and extensive travels to examine and collect them firsthand. Technical Editors: W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi and K. Carpenter, Fisheries Resources and Environment Division, FAO Illustrators: M. D’Antoni and P. Lastrico, FAO, Rome Page composition: G. Sciarappa-Demuro, FAO, Rome Holthuis, L.B. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 13. Marine lobsters of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of species of interest to fisheries known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis. No. 125, Vol. 13. Rome, FAO. 1991. 292 p. ABSTRACT This is the thirteenth issue in the FAO series of world-wide annotated and illustrated catalogues of major groups of organisms that enter marine fisheries. The present volume on marine lobsters includes 149 species in 3 infraorders, 10 families and 33 genera. There is an introductory section that supplies general remarks on the biology and fisheries of lobsters, a glossary of technical terms, illustrated keys to infraorders, superfamilies, families, subfamilies and species, and detailed accounts on species. Species accounts include illustrations of the species and their distributions, and information on scientific and vernacular names, types, distribution, habitat, biology, size, interest to fisheries, and relevant literature. Following the species accounts is a table of species by major fishing area, an index, and a bibliography. Two original contributions to nomenclature are presented in this volume. A new subgenus, Sagmariasus, is erected under the palinurid genus Jasus. In addition, the new name, Callianassa biffari, is proposed to replace the junior primary homonym C. affinis Holmes, 1900. Distribution Authors FAO fisheries Officers Regional Fisheries Councils and Commissions Selector SC click for next page click for previous page iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Plan of the Catalogue .................................................................................................... 3 1.2 General Remarks on Lobsters .......................................................................................... 5 1.2.1 Morphology ........................................................................................................... 5 1.2.2 Size ................................................................................................................. 8 1.2.3 Habitat and Biology .................................................................................................. 8 1.2.4 Interest to Fisheries ................................................................................................. 8 1.3 Illustrated Glossary of Technical Terms ..............................................................................9 2. SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE OF SPECIES ...................................................................................17 SUBORDER MACRURA REPTANTIA ........................................................................................ 17 Key to the three lnfraorders and their Superfamilies .................................................................... 17 2.1 INFRAORDER ASTACIDEA ............................................................................................ 19 SUPERFAMILY NEPHROPOIDEA ..................................................................................... 19 Key to the Familyand Subfamilies of Nephropoidea ............................................................. 19 Code 2.1.1 Family Thaumastochelidae ................................................... THAU .........................22 Key to Genera .............................................................................................. 22 Thaumastocheles .........................................................THAU Thau ................. 22 Key to Species ............................................................................................. 22 Thaumastocheles japonicus ........................................... THAU Thau 1 ........................23 Thaumastocheles zaleucus .............................................THAU Thau 2 ............... 24 Thaumastochelopsis .................................................... THAU Thaup ............... 24 Thaumastochelopsis wardi .............................................THAU Thaup 1 ............. 25 2.1.2 Family Nephropidae ............................................................ NEPH ......................... 26 Subfamily Neophoberinae .................................................................................. 26 Acanthacaris ...............................................................NEPH Acant ................ 26 Key to Species ............................................................................................. 26 Acanthacaris caeca ...................................................... NEPH Acant 1 ..............26 Acanthacaris tenuimana ................................................ NEPH Acant 2 ..............28 Subfamily Thymopinae .......................................................................................29 Key to Genera .............................................................................................. 29 Nephropides ............................................................... NEPH Nephid ............... 30 Nephropides caribaeus ..................................................NEPH Nephid 1 ............. 31 Nephropsis .................................................................NEPH Nephps .............. 31 Key to Species ............................................................................................. 32 Nephropsis acanthura ...................................................NEPH Nephps 12 .......... 35 Nephropsis aculeata ..................................................... NEPH Nephps 1 ............. 36 Nephropsis agassizii .....................................................NEPH Nephps .............. 37 Nephropsis atlantica .....................................................NEPH Nephps 4 ............ 38 Nephropsis carpenteri ...................................................NEPH Nephps 5 ............ 39 Nephropsis ensirostris .................................................. NEPH Nephps 6 ............ 41 Nephropsis malhaensis ................................................. NEPH Nephps 7 ............ 42 Nephropsis neglecta ..................................................... NEPH Nephps 8 ............ 42 Nephropsis occidentalis ................................................ NEPH Nephps 9 ........... 43 Nephropsis rosea .........................................................NEPH Nephps 10 .......... 44 Nephropsis