FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

1008 Lobsters
Synaxidae: body very hairy; carapace laterally angular, with a broad and flat triangular or rounded rostrum,
covered with small rounded granules but without enlarged spines; antennae whip-like but shorter than
carapace; legs without pincers but first pair much heavier than others.
Scyllaridae: body strongly flattened dorsoventrally; carapace depressed and laterally angular; eyes
enclosed by distinct orbits and lacking large frontal horns; antennae plate-like; legs without pincers and
none of them enlarged.
no enlarged
spines
Synaxidae
1 2
antenna
short
3
4
5
rostrum
antenna
plate-like
eyes
enclosed
within
orbits
body flat
Key to the genera of Palinuridae occurring in the area
Note: members of this family, particularly those of the genus Panulirus, generally have distinctive colour
markings on the body and live and fresh specimens of the various species are often easily distinguished
by their coloration.
1a. Carapace covered with scale-like sculpture; each abdominal segments with 4 or more
transverse grooves; first pair of legs sometimes enlarged and forming false pincers in
males (Fig. 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justitia
1b. Carapace without scale-like sculpture; abdomen smooth or each segment at most with
2 transverse grooves; first pair of legs simple and never enlarged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 2
2a. Frontal horns truncated; proximal segment of antennular peduncle longer than antennal
peduncle; legs very spinous (Fig. 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Palinustus
2b. Frontal horns pointed; proximal segment of antennular peduncle distinctly shorter than
antennal peduncle; legs sparsely covered with spines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . → 3
scale-like
sculpture
Fig. 1 Justitia
false
pincer
transverse
grooves
antennal
peduncle
Scyllaridae
Fig. 2 Palinustus
5
1
2
4
3
proximal
segment of
antennular
peduncle
legs
spinous