Skip to content

DiscoverSpeciesCrustaceans

Channel Squat Lobster

Grimothea gregaria

  • Crustaceans
  • IUCN: Not evaluated
  • Usual depth63–158 m
  • Water temperature6–18 °C
  • Best monthsJanuary and February
  • How commonCommon
All species

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

  • 0–10 m: 16 records
  • 10–20 m: 42 records
  • 20–30 m: 18 records
  • 30–40 m: 10 records
  • 40–50 m: 20 records
  • 50–60 m: 164 records
  • 60–70 m: 570 records
  • 70–80 m: 920 records
  • 80–90 m: 204 records
  • 90–100 m: 547 records
  • 100–110 m: 449 records
  • 110+ m: 1,334 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 6–18 °C

  • 4–6 °C: 4 records
  • 6–8 °C: 904 records
  • 8–10 °C: 22 records
  • 10–12 °C: 11 records
  • 12–14 °C: 9 records
  • 14–16 °C: 3 records
  • 16–18 °C: 10 records

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

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.

Join the waitlist

DiveHive uses necessary cookies to work. With your permission we also use analytics to see which pages help. Analytics is off until you say yes, and we never record what you type.

  • NecessaryAlways on: your choice, security.Always on
  • AnalyticsOff unless you accept.Off
Privacy policy