Reef lobster
Encyclopedia
Reef lobsters, Enoplometopus, are a genus
of small lobster
s that live on reefs in the Indo-Pacific
, Caribbean
and warmer parts of the east Atlantic Ocean
.
s at depths of less than 1 metres (3.3 ft) to rocky reefs at depths of 300 m (984.3 ft). They are brightly coloured, with stripes, rings, or spots. They are typically mainly red, orange, purplish and white. Reef lobsters are small (depending on species, up to 10–13 cm or 3.9–5.1 ), nocturnal (spending the day in caves or crevices), and very timid. The species can be distinguished by their colouration and morphology
.
As a result of their bright colours, they are popular in the aquarium
trade, and unregulated collection combined with destruction of coral reefs may threaten
some species. Due to uncertainty over the impact of these potential threats, the majority are considered data deficient
by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Reef lobsters are distinguished from clawed lobsters (family Nephropidae) by having full chelae (claws) only on the first pair of pereiopods, the second and third pairs being only subchelate (where the last segment of the appendage
can press against a short projection from the penultimate one). Clawed lobsters have full claws on the first three pereiopods. Males, unlike those of nephropoid lobsters, have an extra lobe on the second pleopod, which is assumed to have some function in reproduction. Reef lobsters have a shallow cervical groove while clawed lobsters have a deep cervical groove.
Although there is no fossil record of reef lobsters, there is some evidence that they may be related to the extinct genus Eryma which lived from the Permo-Triassic
to the late Cretaceous
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of small lobster
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
s that live on reefs in the Indo-Pacific
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...
, Caribbean
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
and warmer parts of the east Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Description
Species of Enoplometopus occur from coral reefCoral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s at depths of less than 1 metres (3.3 ft) to rocky reefs at depths of 300 m (984.3 ft). They are brightly coloured, with stripes, rings, or spots. They are typically mainly red, orange, purplish and white. Reef lobsters are small (depending on species, up to 10–13 cm or 3.9–5.1 ), nocturnal (spending the day in caves or crevices), and very timid. The species can be distinguished by their colouration and morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
.
As a result of their bright colours, they are popular in the aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
trade, and unregulated collection combined with destruction of coral reefs may threaten
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
some species. Due to uncertainty over the impact of these potential threats, the majority are considered data deficient
Data Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Reef lobsters are distinguished from clawed lobsters (family Nephropidae) by having full chelae (claws) only on the first pair of pereiopods, the second and third pairs being only subchelate (where the last segment of the appendage
Appendage
In invertebrate biology, an appendage is an external body part, or natural prolongation, that protrudes from an organism's body . It is a general term that covers any of the homologous body parts that may extend from a body segment...
can press against a short projection from the penultimate one). Clawed lobsters have full claws on the first three pereiopods. Males, unlike those of nephropoid lobsters, have an extra lobe on the second pleopod, which is assumed to have some function in reproduction. Reef lobsters have a shallow cervical groove while clawed lobsters have a deep cervical groove.
Although there is no fossil record of reef lobsters, there is some evidence that they may be related to the extinct genus Eryma which lived from the Permo-Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
to the late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
.
Species
The genus contains the following species:- Enoplometopus antillensis LütkenChristian Frederik LütkenChristian Frederik Lütken was a Danish naturalist, born 4 October 1827 in Sorø, died 1901.After a career in the Danish army until 1852, he decided to dedicate his life to natural history and left the army at the grade of first lieutenant. From 1856-1862, he was Private docent at the University of...
, 1865 - Enoplometopus callistus Intès and Le Loeuff, 1970
- Enoplometopus chacei Kensley and Child, 1986
- Enoplometopus crosnieri Chan and Yu, 1998
- Enoplometopus daumi HolthuisLipke HolthuisLipke Bijdeley Holthuis was a Dutch carcinologist, considered one of the "undisputed greats" of carcinology, and "the greatest carcinologist of our time"....
, 1983 - Enoplometopus debelius HolthuisLipke HolthuisLipke Bijdeley Holthuis was a Dutch carcinologist, considered one of the "undisputed greats" of carcinology, and "the greatest carcinologist of our time"....
, 1983 - Enoplometopus gracilipes (De Saint Laurent, 1988)
- Enoplometopus holthuisi GordonIsabella GordonIsabella Gordon, D.Sc., O.B.E. was an English biological scientist. Gordon specialised in carcinology, the study of crustaceans, and published many papers and monographs on the Crustacea. She worked at the British Museum as Assistant Keeper of Crustacea until her retirement in 1966. Gordon...
, 1968 - Enoplometopus occidentalis (Randall, 1840)
- Enoplometopus pictus A. Milne EdwardsAlphonse Milne-EdwardsAlphonse Milne-Edwards was a French mammalologist, ornithologist and carcinologist. He was English in origin, the son of Henri Milne-Edwards and grandson of Bryan Edwards, a Jamaican planter who settled at Bruges .Milne-Edwards obtained a medical degree in 1859 and became assistant to his father...
, 1862 - Enoplometopus voigtmanni Türkay, 1989