Squat lobster

Squat lobster
Munidopsis tridentatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Malacostraca
Order:	Decapoda
Suborder:	Pleocyemata
Infraorder:	Anomura
Superfamily:	Galatheoidea
Family:	Galatheidae and Chirostylidae
Families and genera
Chirostylidae Ortmann, 1892 Chirostylus Ortmann, 1892 Eumunida Smith, 1883 Gastroptychus Caurelly, 1896 Pseudomunida Uroptychus Baba, 1988. Galatheidae Samouelle, 1819 Agononida Baba & de Saint Laurent, 1995 Allogalathea Baba, 1969 Allomunida Anoplonida Baba & de Saint Laurent, 1995 Bathymunida Cervimunida Benedict, 1902 Coralliogalathea Fennerogalathea Baba, 1988 Galathea Fabricius, 1793 Lauriea Liogalathea Janetogalathea Munida (genus) Leach, 1820 Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1874 Nanagalathea Raymunida Fennerogalathea Paramunida Baba, 1988 Phylladriorhynchus Pleuroncodes Sadayoshia Baba, 1969 Shinkaia

Squat lobsters are decapod crustaceans of the families Galatheidae and Chirostylidae, including the common genera Galathea and Munida. They are not lobsters at all, although they share a number of characteristics; they are, in fact, more closely related to porcelain crabs, hermit crabs and then, more distantly, true crabs. Flesh from this animal is often commercially sold in restaurants as "langostino," or sometimes called merely "lobster" when incorporated in seafood dishes (although this latter use is considered by some to be ethically dubious).

The body of a squat lobster is usually flattened, the abdomen is typically folded under itself, and the first pereiopods (front legs) are greatly elongated and armed with long chelae (claws). The fifth pair of pereiopods is usually hidden within the gill chamber, under the carapace, giving squat lobsters the appearance of having only eight pereiopods.

It was long assumed that squat lobsters hide in crevices and catch prey with their long claws. However, recent observations showed the animals to wait on the tops of Lophelia coral reefs and catch fish swimming past.

See also

• Langostino
• Kiwa hirsuta

External links

• Senator hot about 'impostor lobster'