Scientific name:

Palinustus truncatus

Vernacular name:

American blunthorn lobster, Langouste aliousta

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Palinustus mossambicus - Buffalo blunthorn lobster
Palinustus unicornutus - Unicorn blunthorn lobster

A. Milne Edwards, 1880

Diagnosis:
Anterior margin between the frontal horns convex. A strong median spine, in addition to several others, on anterior margin of carapace between frontal horns. Inner margin of horns without spines. Epistome with five tubercles on anteromedian margin; anterolateral corner with strong spine.

Type:
Type locality: "Blake" "Station No. r 241. Profond. 163 brasses. Cariacou" ( = off the Grenadines, 12°28'22"N, 61°32'18"W, 163 fms ( = 298 m), sand and coral): type in MCZ.

Geographical Distribution:
Western Atlantic: from Carriacou Island, Grenadines, to off the mouth of the Amazon River, Amapá and Pará States, Brazil.

Habitat and Biology:
The species has been taken in depths between 120 and 298 m, but there is a record from the littoral zone, and one from 4111-4122 m. The bottom is variously described as "sand and coral", "sandy calcarenite", and "smooth, consisting of brown mud ".

Size:
Carapace lengths of 1.6 to 3.2 cm have been reported, the known maximum body length is 10 cm.

Interest to Fisheries:
So far none. The species is evidently rare, and perhaps has a restricted range. Better knowledge of its occurrence and habits is required for deciding whether a future fishery will prove feasible.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Crustacea
Order Decapoda
Suborder Macrura Reptantia
Superfamily Palinuroidea
Family Palinuridae
Genus Palinustus
Species Palinustus truncatus

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Palinustus truncatus A. Milne Edwards, 1880

Synonyms:
Palinustus truncatus A. Milne Edwards, 1880, Bulletin Museum Comparative Zoology, Harvard College, 8: 66. Name placed on the Official List of Specific Names in Zoology in Opinion 519 (published in 1958).
Palinurus truncatus Gruvel, 1911

FAO Names:
American blunthorn lobster [English]
Langouste aliousta [French]
Sp -Langosta ñata

Fischer, W. (ed.), 1978. FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes Western Central Atlantic (Fishing Area 31), vol. 6:pag.var.

Milne Edwards, A., 1880. Études préliminaires sur les Crustacés. 1 Partie. In: Reports on the results of dredging under supervision of Alaxander Agassiz, in the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean Sea, 1877, '78, '79, by the U.S. Coast Survey Steamer "Blake", Lieut.-Commander C.D. Sigsbee, U.S.N., and Commander J.R. Bartlett, U.S.N., Commanding. VIII.. Bulletin Museum Comparative Zoology, Harvard College, 8(1): 1-68, pls. 1-2.