Palinurus elephas

crustacean

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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Palinurus elephas is a species of spiny lobster, also known as the European langouste or sea crayfish. It belongs to the family Palinuridae, which are marine crustaceans that lack large claws, unlike true lobsters.12

These bottom-dwelling, nocturnal creatures are characterized by their spiny bodies and long antennae. They are omnivorous scavengers, feeding on dead animals, live fish, mollusks, other invertebrates, and seaweed. While spiny lobsters do not have the large pincers of true lobsters, their abdomens are a commercially important food source, often marketed as lobster tails.1

Palinurus elephas is found in waters ranging from Great Britain to the Mediterranean Sea.1

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lobster
…species live in tropical waters; Palinurus elephas, however, is found from Great Britain to the Mediterranean Sea. Two palinurid species are commercially important in the Americas: Palinurus interruptus, the California spiny lobster of the Pacific coast, and P. argus, the West Indian spiny lobster, from Bermuda to Brazil. P. interruptus…
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…species live in tropical waters; Palinurus elephas, however, is found from Great Britain to the Mediterranean Sea. Two palinurid species are commercially important in the Americas: Palinurus interruptus, the California spiny lobster of the Pacific coast, and P. argus, the West Indian spiny lobster, from Bermuda to Brazil. P. interruptus…
Read More