A first record of whip lobsters puerulus sewelli from Oman with notes on size, condition and length-weight relationships

Abstract EN

Arabian whip lobsters Puerulus sewelli were for the first time reported from the waters of Oman in 2007, extending its known range along the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula by ~ 200 km northeastwards from its previous boundary at Ras Fartak in Yemen.

The lobsters were caught in exploratory trawls at 230–787 m depth.

The size of 67 lobsters ranged from 51–87 mm CL (31.4–161.7 g whole weight, WW).

Females were larger than males.

The size distribution was bimodal, showing recent recruits and post-recruits.

Female tail weight (TW) became progressively heavier than male TW, relative to increasing, but equivalent CL or WW-values.

Of the females, 8% were soft-shelled, 19% carried external eggs, and 77.7 % had maturing or ripe gonads.