
Channel Squat Lobster
Grimothea gregaria
- Usual depth63–158 m
- Water temperature6–18 °C
- Best monthsJanuary and February
- How commonCommon
Photo credit: (c) John Barkla, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 1,968 records
- February: 1,743 records
- March: 303 records
- April: 47 records
- May: 195 records
- June: 31 records
- July: 344 records
- August: 123 records
- September: 12 records
- October: 993 records
- November: 640 records
- December: 65 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 63–158 m · Deepest record: 813.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 6–18 °C
Photos

(c) Pablo, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Leo Lagos, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist 
(c) Rachel Crane, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Sebastián Saiter V., some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Charlotte Kirchner, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Pablo, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
- English
- Channel Squat Lobster, Lobster krill, Swarming Squat Lobster
Names in 2 more languages
- Spanish
- Bogavante del sur, Langostino de los canales, Langostino enano
- French
- Galathée naine
Other scientific names: Galathea gregaria, Galathea subrugosa, Grimothea novaezelandiae, Grimothea novae-zelandiae, Munida australiensis, Munida gregaria, Munida subrugosa
Similar species
- pelagic red crab
Grimothea planipes
- yellow squat lobster
Grimothea johni

Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 6,297 open-data records from 1888 to 2023.
- Species data updated November 3, 2026.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.