Spiny lobster, continued 



ter fishing license. 



Indicator of Environmental Stress The spiny lobster is 

 not typically used in studies of environmental stress. 



Ecological : Spiny lobsters are frequently the dominant 

 carnivores in their habitat and have important ecologi- 

 cal effects on marine benthic communities (Marx and 

 Herrnkind 1 986). The loss of spiny lobster from habi- 

 tats through overfishing could have serious conse- 

 quences. Removal of such a large sized and abundant 

 carnivore may result in loss of diversity and significant 

 shift in food webs in simpler ecosystems (Davis 1 977). 



Range 



Overall : The spiny lobster is found in coastal and 

 shallow continental shelf waters along the western 

 Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Brazil, including 

 Bermuda, and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Genetic 

 studies indicate that spiny lobsters throughout the 

 Caribbean are genetically similar, suggesting a single 

 population (Silberman and Walsh 1994, Silberman et 

 al. 1 994). A few specimens have been collected in the 

 Gulf of Guinea, West Africa (Lewis 1951, Williams 

 1984, NOAA 1985, Marx and Herrnkind 1986). 



Within Study area : The species is abundant off the 

 southern Florida coast from Florida Bay to Dry Tortugas 

 and is found throughout the Gulf of Mexico in warm 

 offshore waters. The southern edge of Florida Bay is 

 the major nursery area for juvenile spiny lobster in 

 South Florida (Field and Butler 1994, Herrnkind and 

 Butler 1994). Rare collections are made in inshore 

 waters of south Texas (Moore 1 962, Marx and Herrnkind 

 1986, Tunnell pers. comm., Hockeday pers. comm.). 

 (Table 5.10). 



Life Mode 



Eggs are carried on the female's pleopods. Egg 

 bearing females are found in reef areas at approxi- 

 mately 24 to 30°C. Larvae (phyllosoma stage) are 

 planktonic and their distribution is regulated by ocean 

 currents. Larvae metamorphose to the puerulus stage 

 offshore, and move shoreward at the water's surface 

 (Acosta et al. in press). Benthic juveniles show a 

 combination of crepuscular and nocturnal activity. 

 Juveniles reside in shallow nearshore waters in 

 seagrass, mangrove, or hardbottom nursery areas 

 until they approach maturity, and then move out to reef 

 habitats (Moe 1 991 , Herrnkind et al. 1 994, Acosta et al. 

 in press). Lobsters found offshore are principally adult 

 stage (Witham et al. 1968, Williams 1984, Marx and 

 Herrnkind 1 986). Adults also have a combined pattern 

 of crepuscular and nocturnal activity (Andree 1981). 



89 



