Please solve this mystery for us!

[bubbles]

My husband took this photo in July 2007 whilst on holiday at Discovery Bay, Jamaica. We were in aprox 10m of water. When we asked Jamaqua Dive Centre what it was, they said the local name for it was 'Lobster Mother'. My husband wondered whether it was some sort of Horseshoe Crab but the instructor said it wasn't. I wrote a review for our local dive club magazine and included it in the write-up asking if anyone could identify it but no one came forward with any suggestions. We would love to know what this is!

[acelockco]

Well, the first thing you have to know is that Jamaican's will give you an answer to any question you have as if they really know, all the while they have no idea what you are even asking them. Most questions will be answered with a simple "Yea Mon" and anything else is made up on the spot.

It is called a Slipper Lobster or Shovel-Nose Lobster ( Scyllarides latus ) <----Scientific Name

The plates in the front are actually its antenna.

[littleleemur]

Can't really tell by the pic, but it is soft? a Stone fish of some sort? or is it hard shelled?

[bubbles]

Thanks acelockco - we have been wondering for ages! Know what you mean about the Jamaicans - but hey they are friendly.

Littleleemur - We don't know we didn't touch it but it looked hard!

[lottie]

Yep - it's a Scultured Slipper Lobster (Parribacus Antarcticus) my Caribbean fish book states : Slipper lobsters hide in crevices by day and emerge at night to forage out in the open. The flattened, plate-like appendages at the front end of the animal are modified antennae. A small, second pair of antennae protrudes from between them. These animals have no claws and feed mostly on soft-bodied animals. Several species occur in the rgion. P/ antarcticus can usually be identified by the rough texture of the antennae and carapace. It occurs in warm waters throughout both the western atlantic and indo-pacific.

HTH

psss - Found this website a while ago - might be of interest to some
http://www.fishdb.co.uk/

[littleleemur]

Yep - it's a Scultured Slipper Lobster

I'm embarrassed to say that I'm sure I've eaten it before :P It's sweeter and softer than lobster :P

[bubbles]

Hi Lottie,
Thanks for website address - it looks a very useful site - I have bookmarked it on my computer as I'm sure I will use it again. I couldn't find a pic of the Slipper Lobster on there but it took me to google - so I googled it and found a far better pic than ours on a site called 'Imagequestmarine'. So thanks for that.

[bubbles]

Littleleemur - you ate it! Shame on you the poor thing - what did it ever do to you? (Only joking - I like eating Lobster too so would probably like this!)

[littleleemur]

Littleleemur - you ate it! Shame on you the poor thing - what did it ever do to you? (Only joking - I like eating Lobster too so would probably like this!)

I am sooo ashamed
...until I go to that restaurant again!

It used to be my favourite thing, especially when I was little, wandering the fish market and choosing my dinner live from the tanks. There were over 50 vendors. You'd take your receipt and then wander to the back of the market where there would be just as many restaurants/kitchens that you'd choose from. You'd get seated and hand your receipt to the waiter who would get the kitchen boy to pick up your "live catch" from the vendor.

After diving, choosing your seafood live from a tank is a completely different experience. Now I just let my mom choose. I don't want to see it in the tank anymore

[acelockco]

Wow, where is that fish market? I really would love to go there. How cool would it be to dive in the morning, and then go get some fresh seafood for lunch (or if you caught something have it cooked).

I am making some fish for dinner, so now I am really jonesing for that place.

Sounds sooooo good.