Jasus


Jasus is a genus of spiny lobsters which live in the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere. They have two distinct "horns" projecting from the front of the carapace, but lack the stridulating organs present in almost all other genera of spiny lobsters. Like all spiny lobsters, they lack claws, and have long stout antennae which are quite flexible.
The generic name Jasus is derived from the Ancient Greek town of Iasos, which was famous for its prawns and stamped them on some of its coins.

Species

The following species are included in the genus Jasus:
ImageScientific nameDistribution
Jasus caveorum Webber & Booth, 1995southeastern Pacific Ocean
Jasus edwardsii Southern Australia: Western Australia to New South Wales & Tasmania. South Island of New Zealand
Jasus frontalis Juan Fernández Islands, Islas Desventuradas
Jasus lalandii Southern Africa St. Paul Island and Amsterdam Island
Jasus tristani Holthuis, 1963Tristan da Cunha archipelago; Vema seamount

Another species, formerly known as "Jasus verreauxi" is found around New Zealand, the Chatham Islands, and around Australia ; it is now placed in the genus Sagmariasus.

Fossils

  • Jasus jlemingi Glaessner, 1960 - a Miocene fossil from New Zealand

    Fisheries

Most of the extant species are liable to commercial exploitation, with the majority of the A$4.6 million New South Wales lobster fishery industry being based on J. edwardsii and the closely related Sagmariasus verreauxi. Jasus lalandii is the most important commercial rock lobster in southern Africa.