#4553 · 🦀 crabs & other crustaceans
California Spiny Lobster
Panulirus interruptus
8 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
- 1. © Patnitsa · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 2. © Randy · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- 3. © juliamarkey · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 4. © Kat Halsey · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 5. © Jesse Rorabaugh · CC0
- 6. © Kat Halsey · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 7. © juliamarkey · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 8. © Jacob · CC BY-NC 4.0
what is it?
The California spiny lobster ( Panulirus interruptus ) is a species of spiny lobster found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Monterey Bay, California to the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico. It typically grows to a length of 30 cm (12 in) and is a reddish-brown color with stripes along the legs, and has a pair of enlarged antennae but no claws. The interrupted grooves across the tail are characteristic for the species.
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
- 7,029 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named by John Witt Randall in 1840 (186 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- California Spiny Lobster
- scientific name
- Panulirus interruptus
- class
- Malacostraca
- order
- Decapoda
- family
- Palinuridae
- IUCN Red List
- LC · least concern
- sightings in NL
- 0
- sightings worldwide
- 7,029
- GBIF records in NL
- 0
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1840 by John Witt Randall
IUCN in Dutch: niet bedreigd. Blank means the sources don't say.
relatives· Palinuridae
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 61371, Wikidata Q452353, GBIF 2221647, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.