Lobster types

[Dectek]

I was talking to a guy from Costa Rico about bug hunting and it came up that I was a little more fearful of poking my hand into a hole after one. At first he thought my description of a lobster was in jest. I had to show him a photo ofED for him to believe me.

It turns out that there is bug hunting where everyone thinks "No Big Deal" and then there in North East Extreme bug hunting.

 

[scuberd]

HOLY COW!!!

thats one hell of a bug!!! =-)

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Which one is ED? If I were in that picture the bug would be holding ME up as the trophy--YIKES!
Ber

 

[seakdivers]

OK, can somebody tell me what in the heck I ate in Australia? They looked like a crawfish/ lobster/ shrimp thingy, and they referred to them as "bugs".
They were really good, but I don't know what they were!
:creeper:

 

[scuberd]

seakdivers once bubbled...
OK, can somebody tell me what in the heck I ate in Australia? They looked like a crawfish/ lobster/ shrimp thingy, and they referred to them as "bugs".
They were really good, but I don't know what they were!
:creeper:

as far as I know "bug" is a generic term for lobster. crawfish are small, freshwater animals that look kinda like lobster, but are 4-8 inches long. Shrimp are, well, shrimp

hope this helps =-)

 

[seakdivers]

Umm.... thanks Scuberd...

You have been very helpful, as usual:tongue:

We don't have any lobsters up here (that I know of), but we do have some awesome shrimp! Everything from the tiny Petersburg ones to some whopper prawns.

Mmmmm.... I'm getting hungry!

 

[ams]

Can anyone give me info on bug hunting off Virginia cost. I am trying to find out bag limit, size, and season.

Thank you,

 

[MikeJacobs]

I saw my first slipper lobster last night - we almost took him home but already had steaks ready for the grill.

BTW, REEF CREATURES identifies Spanish Lobster as similar to a slipper lobster, not your typical crayfish type lobster. If they're right, then what I (and a lot of others) refer to as the Spanish Lobster is actually something else... I'll have to look through REEF CREATURES a little more carefully.

Slippers are wider and their shells are courser. The distinguishing characteristic is the plate-like antennae rather than the harpoons we're used to seeing. They are much slower, though they swim the same way, and they cling to coral rather tenatiously. My guess is that their greatest survival amenity is the way they blend in with their surroundings so well - they look just like a piece of algie covered coral and don't have the profile of anything alive. Moving slowly, they're difficult to ID.

My dive buddy says they're the best eating, but give me a BIG Maine lobster any day!

 

[Stone]

MikeJacobs once bubbled...
My guess is that their greatest survival amenity is the way they blend in with their surroundings so well - they look just like a piece of algie covered coral and don't have the profile of anything alive. Moving slowly, they're difficult to ID.

Our slippers look like the limestone rocks they inhabit (and they can blend into a mottled, rusty wreck as well). They will hang upside-down in a hole or shelf, so if you are just sightseeing, you may never see one.

 

[MikeJacobs]

Stone once bubbled... SNIP...They will hang upside-down in a hole or shelf, so if you are just sightseeing, you may never see one.

That's probably why I haven't seen them before now... I cover a lot of ground, usually. Thanks!