Smooth Tail Lobster sighting today

[Chugwhump]

Soamelt and I did a shore dive from the Oakland Park Blvd. area today and we happened upon a "Smooth Tailed Spiny Lobster".
This is only the second time I have seen one around these parts.
I caught one about eight years ago from the same area and ate it, because I am such a freaking redneck.
I will not eat another, as I learned later that they are pretty rare in these parts.
I truly regret having killed the last one I saw, as they are kinda rare and I think it would be better for other people to see them.
I think that they have several names in the common vernacular including:
Smooth Tailed Spiny Lobster
Caribbean Smooth Tail Lobster
Brazilian Lobster
Mutant Love Child of a Maine Lobster/Caribbean Spiny/Spotted Spiny Lobster menage-a-trois.
If anyone else has seen these, I would be interested in knowing.
So far, since 1977, I have seen exactly two.
I do know of a guy that got a bunch of them in Fort Pierce about 6-7 years ago in Fort Pierce in very deep 100'-130' very cold water during mini-season.
He said they were huge, in the 3-5 pound range.
I cannot find much about them and if anyone has a link I would be interested.
I have posted 8 lousy shots from my 1.3mp camera in an album for all to ogle and comment upon.
Please keep in mind that these pictures are the sole property of Chugwhump (like that means anything) and I would prefer that they be used freely and indiscriminately, but you owe me a beer if you do.
I cannot really seem to find any decent pictures of the Panulirus lauvicauda on line, and I may have the Latin name wrong because I am such a freaking redneck.

Chug
Likes to see different stuff underwater.

 

[deepstops]

The best article I've seen on Florida lobsters is this one written by Dave Earp (commercial bug dude from Pompano Beach): The Lobsters of Florida - Spearboard Spearfishing Community

 

[Chugwhump]

Thanks for the good read Brian.

Chug
Dragon

 

[DebbyDiver]

That's one weird looking crustacean, Chug. I wouldn't eat it...I'd be afraid of mutating after digestion.

 

[brucet]

Cool lobster. Sorry I missed out yesterday, but at least my car starts now.

 

[Lisa Mongy]

Nice! Thanks!

By the way Chug - Do you get out at all during the week? Maybe a later afternoon/dusk dive??? If so, shoot me an email.

 

[Tom Winters]

I am somewhat suspicious of this claim of a "smooth-tailed lobster". Sorry, but it just has a mild odor of mendacity at this point in time. I can just picture further tales of seeing more smooth tail encounters like this leading right up to mini-season.
Then we'll see posts relating about "Oh man, we got a bunch of regular lobsters, but then this feller came up with a couple of them smooth tailed lobsters, and by God, we just threw alla them regular lobsters back in the ocean. Shoot, after seeing one of them smooth tails, we couldn't hardly even bear to handle a regular lobster."
Then, of course, some poor yahoo down here who had a good mini season and got a bunch of them thar regular tails is going to be sitting in front of the double-wide thinking, "Damn, I got me a freezer full of them regular lobster tails, but I don't got none of them smooth tailed lobster tails."
Now here's where the carpet baggers just post, "Well hell, I done got so full of eating them smooth lobster tails that I can't eat no more lobster for this year. But what am I gonna do with this one leftover smooth lobster tail? Be a real shame to just feed it to the cat like that guy in Boca does."
Now we all know that the guy in the double-wide in Weston is going to trade his freezer full of regular lobster tails for that one smooth tail lobster tail, and one again, some Yankee carpet bagger is going to make out like the thieving bandit he is.
I just wonder how much weight someone who did a trade like this would need to add for the additional buoyancy from being covered with tar-and-feathers?
Smooth tailed lobsters? Upon my word!

 

[Chugwhump]

If I have my story straight by Jiminy, these things are plentiful a way down south. I think they are plentiful and common off the coast of Brazil, Venezuela, and several other places. Actually, I am about certain that I have seen them selling the tails at Costco. I may be oh so wrong on all of this. I just find this critter exceeddingly interestin'.
Chug
Has aten wun.

 

[deepstops]

Now we all know that the guy in the double-wide in Weston is going to trade his freezer full of regular lobster tails for that one smooth tail lobster tail, and one again, some Yankee carpet bagger is going to make out like the thieving bandit he is.
I just wonder how much weight someone who did a trade like this would need to add for the additional buoyancy from being covered with tar-and-feathers?
Smooth tailed lobsters? Upon my word!

Double wides in Weston? Upon my word!!

Seriously Tom (not that you'd ever get serious on me), you missed your satirical calling.

 

[DebbyDiver]

He's the Dave Barry of ScubaBoard.