Velvet lobster

Metanephrops velutinus

Crustaceans
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth315–426 m
Water temperature13–29 °C
Best monthsFebruary
How commonRare

All species

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 13 records
February: 61 records
March: 0 records
April: 0 records
May: 0 records
June: 10 records
July: 2 records
August: 2 records
September: 0 records
October: 1 records
November: 10 records
December: 7 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 315–426 m · Deepest record: 493 m

10–20 m: 2 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110–120 m: 0 records
120+ m: 36 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 13–29 °C

12–14 °C: 2 records
14–16 °C: 0 records
16–18 °C: 0 records
18–20 °C: 5 records
20–22 °C: 6 records
22–24 °C: 1 records
24–26 °C: 1 records
26–28 °C: 35 records
28–30 °C: 74 records

Names and classification

English: Velvet lobster, velvet lobster, Velvet Scampi

Similar species

Andaman lobster
Metanephrops andamanicus
China lobster
Metanephrops sinensis
Red-banded lobster
Metanephrops thomsoni
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).
171 open-data records from 1909 to 2018.

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