Slipper Lobster

To continue our series on animals that we can find in the Galapagos, we'll move from the cuddly Galapagos sea lion to something far less cute...the slipper lobster, or Scyllarides astori.

These guys look nasty in a fight!

Locally know as the langostino, the slipper lobster is commercially exploited along with the red lobster and blue lobster. The slipper lobster is not your typical lobster--it is actually more closely related to spiny or furry lobsters than the other two Galapagos lobsters. Slipper lobsters are bottom-dwellers that like to hang out at depths of up to 500 meters. The slipper lobster body is made of 14 segments, each of which is covered in a thick carapace. Slipper lobsters are known for their enlarged antennae. The slipper lobster eats a variety of molluscs, like oysters and limpets, and they are preyed upon by bony fish that can penetrate the lobster's thick exoskeleton. The slipper lobster can be eaten, but it is of much less commercial importance than other types of lobsters.

We're now ready to move onto a plant that you can find in the Galapagos...Tiquilia. No, it has nothing to do with tequila. You'll just have to wait and see what it is!

More on the Slipper Lobster...if you know Spanish!