Palinurus barbarae is a species of spiny lobster described in 2006, which was found by fishermen working the waters above the Walters Shoals, a series of submerged mountains 700 kilometres (430 mi) south of Madagascar.[2][3] The animal weighs 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) and reaches up to 40 centimetres (16 in) long excluding the long antennae, and is similar to P. delagoae, found off South Africa, from which it may be differentiated by a number of characters including the larger number of spines.[4] There are fears that the species, which lives in an area outside any country's jurisdiction, may now be exploited,[2] or that it has already been brought near to extinction by overfishing.[3]
| Palinurus barbarae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Family: | Palinuridae |
| Genus: | Palinurus |
| Species: | P. barbarae
|
| Binomial name | |
| Palinurus barbarae Groeneveld, Griffiths & van Dalsen, 2006
| |
References
edit- ^ Cockcroft, A. (2011). "Palinurus barbarae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T185008A8345918. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T185008A8345918.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b "New giant lobster species from the Madagascar Ridge". University of Cape Town. October 9, 2006.
- ^ a b John Yeld (September 11, 2006). "Scientists find new giant lobster species". Cape Argus. p. 3.
- ^ Groeneveld, J. C.; C. L. Griffiths & A. P. van Dalsen (2006). "A new species of spiny lobster, Palinurus barbarae (Decapoda, Palinuridae) from Walters Shoals on the Madagascar Ridge". Crustaceana. 79 (7): 821–833. doi:10.1163/156854006778008177.