15 Jul 2022

Critter of the Week: The gregarious squat lobster

From the collecton Critter of the Week

You might have seen this week's critter swarming in the summer, painting the seas and beaches red. We're talking about the gregarious squat lobster (Munida gregaria), also known as 'red whale feed' or 'lobster krill' because of their huge numbers. Teenage gregarious squat lobsters come into shore to party and socialise before settling down for a quiet life on the sea floor.

Gregarious squat lobster in hand

Gregarious squat lobster in hand Photo: Vellela CC BY-SA