Red-banded lobster
Metanephrops thomsoni
- Usual depth189–280 m
- Water temperature20–29 °C
- Best monthsMarch, June, and July
- How commonRare
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 2 records
- February: 0 records
- March: 4 records
- April: 2 records
- May: 1 records
- June: 3 records
- July: 3 records
- August: 2 records
- September: 0 records
- October: 0 records
- November: 2 records
- December: 0 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 189–280 m · Deepest record: 497 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 20–29 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Red-banded lobster, red-banded lobster
Names in 3 more languages
- Japanese
- minami akaza-ebi, ミナミアカザエビ
- Korean
- 가시발새우
- Simplified Chinese
- te-chia shia
Other scientific names: Nephrops thomsoni
Similar species
- Andaman lobster
Metanephrops andamanicus
- China lobster
Metanephrops sinensis
- Velvet lobster
Metanephrops velutinus
- Spinetail lobsterette
Nephropsis acanthura
- Gladiator lobsterette
Nephropsis ensirostris
- Indian Ocean lobsterette
Nephropsis stewarti
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).
- 86 open-data records from 1888 to 1969.
- Species data updated October 27, 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.