Justitia mauritiana

(Miers, 1882)

Diagnosis:
Frontal horns with two dorsal teeth. Anterior margin of carapace with several sharply pointed small teeth between small spiniform rostrum and frontal horns. Carapace behind cervical groove with spines. Four or five transverse grooves on second to fifth abdominal somites, not all reaching to base of pleura, and some interrupted dorsally.
Indo-West Pacific species.

Type:
Type locality: Mauritius, "in a fishing-net at a depth of 40 fathoms" (= 73 m). Holotype male, in BM, no 81.12 (dry, condition fair).

Geographical Distribution:
Indo-West Pacific region: Western Indian Ocean (Mauritius, Réunion), Hawaiian Archipelago. Larvae supposed to be of this species have been reported from the Philippines, the Gilbert Islands and Tahiti.

Habitat and Biology:
Depth range from 30 to 200 m. The species seems to prefer rocky or coral substrates.

Size:
Maximum total body length 16 cm, carapace length 6 cm; average carapace length 4 to 5 cm.

Interest to Fisheries:
The species is not actively fished for. Experimental fishing with lobster pots and trammel nets near Réunion resulted in small catches. Its small size, apparent scarcity and habitat (rough bottom and relatively great depth) make it an unlikely subject for a fishery.

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

Justitia mauritiana (Miers, 1882)

Synonyms:
Palinurus longimanus mauritianus Miers, 1882, Proceedings Zoological Society, London, 1882: 540, pl. 36 fig. 1.
Justitia longimana mauritania Holthuis, 1946

FAO Names:
Gibbon furrow lobster [English]
Langouste gibbon [French]

Local Names:
USA: Long-handed spiny lobster, Ula (Hawaii)

Crosnier, A., 1977. Données sur les Crustacés Décapodes capturés par M. Paul Guézé à I'île de la Réunion lors d'essais de peche en eau profonde. Travaux Documents ORSTOM, 47:225-256, text-figs 1-9, pls 1,2

Fischer, W. and G. Bianchi (eds), 1984. FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Indian Ocean (Fishing Area 51), vol. 5:pag.var.

Miers, E.J., 1882. On some Crustaceans collected at the Mauritius. Proceedings zoological Society London, 1882:339-342, 538-543, pls 20-34

J. mauritiana Habitus (dorsal view, drawing)
J. mauritiana Map (drawing)
J. mauritiana 1 (carapace, dorsal view, drawing w/ text)
J. mauritiana 2 (first and second, and fifth and sixth abdominal somites, lateral view, drawing w/ text)