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Jasus edwardsii

Jasus edwardsii
Jasus edwardsii.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Palinuridae
Genus: Jasus
Species: J. edwardsii
Binomial name
Jasus edwardsii
(Hutton, 1875)
Synonyms 
  • Jasus novaehollandiae Holthuis, 1963
  • Palinurus edwardsii Hutton, 1875

Jasus edwardsii, the southern rock lobster, red rock lobster, or spiny rock lobster, is a species of spiny lobster found throughout coastal waters of southern Australia and New Zealand including the Chatham Islands. This species is commonly called crayfish or crays in New Zealand and kōura in Māori. They resemble lobsters, but lack the large characteristic pincers on the first pair of walking legs.

Spiny rock lobsters are carnivorous, leaving their rock cover to venture out to feed during the night. They live in and around reefs at depths ranging from 5–200 metres (16–660 ft) deep at the continental shelf. They can be dark red and orange above with paler yellowish abdomens or grey-green brown with the paler underside. The more tropical animals tend to have the brighter colours. Adult carapaces can grow up to 230 millimetres (9.1 in) in length and can often exceed 8 kilograms (18 lb) in underfished areas.

Jasus edwardsii is found around most of the coast of New Zealand, including the three main islands, the Three Kings Islands, the Chatham Islands, the Snares Islands, the Bounty Islands, the Antipodes Islands and the Auckland Islands. This last locality is the southernmost place where spiny lobsters occur in the world. In Australia, J. edwardsii is found around the southern coast, from central New South Wales to southern Western Australia, including Tasmania.


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