Spiny lobsters, also known as langouse or rock lobsters, fall into the Palinuridae family. The lobsters go through four phases in their life cycle, with each phase taking place in a different habitat. Spiny lobsters live in coastal waters and shallow shelf waters along the Atlantic seaboard and in the Gulf of Mexico.
Spiny lobsters get their name from the spines that cover their carapace and antennae. The carapace consists of a hard shell covering part of the lobster's softer body parts. The lobster also has an abdomen and a tail. Spiny lobsters do not sport claws, unlike other lobsters. Instead, its legs end in sharp edges that help it nab prey. The lobsters may appear anywhere from light gray to deep brown depending on their maturity.
Only the adult male and female lobsters mate. In order to mate, the lobsters require areas with high shelter and suitable water conditions in the open ocean. The lobsters often form large groups as they move around in search of the ideal mating conditions. Once these conditions are met, the male and female go through a brief courtship with copulation taking place soon after. Within a month or two, the female moves to the edge of the reef to lay her eggs.
The eggs of the larvae hatch, producing tiny lobsters that resemble transparent spiders. During the following year, the larvae molt 11 times while they float in the water column along the reef. During this time, the larvae eat tiny marine organisms such as fish larvae. Once the molting finishes, the little lobsters start to swim, looking for more suitable habitat with bigger prey.
The growing lobsters usually move to algae beds along rocky shorelines. Sometimes the beds lie near large areas of sea grass or mangrove roots. At this stage, the solitary creatures begin to gather together with other spiny lobsters. The lobsters molt several more times as they transform into adults.
The spiny lobster uses the reef as its hunting grounds. The lobster forages at night, staying hidden during the day in crevices in the reef. These reefs lie in shallow waters up to 250 feet deep, although the lobsters head for deeper waters when cold weather sets in. According to the University of North Carolina, the adults come out at night to search for food, often covering a large area before returning to their dens before morning. The lobsters eat a variety of foods, including slow-moving animals such as mollusks, crustaceans and gastropods. The lobsters also eat carrion and pieces of fish they find on the ocean floor.
