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The Rock lobster is a crustacean found in almost all warm seas, here in Florida, the Caribbean and Mediterranean and throughout Australia and Asia. In most areas of the world they are commonly referred to as crayfish or sea crayfish rather than lobster.
Unlike Maine lobsters, rock lobsters do not have large pinchers or claws, but rather they are covered in spikes to protect themselves from predation. They are smaller than Maine lobsters, have much shorter lives, a maximum of 10 years and are brown and striped with yellow spots on their tails.
The females are actively courted by the males and must find safe sheltered areas to lay their eggs. Before they are laid, the eggs remain attached to the females for 9 to 10 weeks. In Florida, spawning usually occurs when the water is warmest, from April through October.
Once hatched the lobster larva molt 11 times in the first year before they are able to swim. Molting continues to occur throughout the lifetime of the rock lobster, however they molt less and less as they grow older.
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The rock lobster is preyed upon by eels, sharks and other marine predators and therefore tends to live in crevices of rocks and coral reefs, only occasionally venturing out at night to seek snails, clams, crabs, sea urchins and other shellfish to eat. They have tooth-like organs that can crush the shells of their small prey.
Once rock lobsters reach adulthood, they are known to form groups and travel out to deep waters, usually after the first storm in the fall. This is believed to be to escape cold shallow water in favor of warmer water. Sometimes, they migrate in very large groups in long single file lines traveling across the sea floor. These lines may be more than 50 lobsters long. Rock lobsters navigate by using the smell and taste of natural substances in the water that change in different parts of the ocean. It was recently discovered that rock lobsters can also navigate by detecting the Earth's magnetic field. They keep together by contact, using their long antennae. Rock lobsters usually exhibit social habits by being together, however recent studies indicate that healthy lobsters move away from hurt or week ones leaving the diseased lobsters to fend for themselves.
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