CARIBBEAN SPINY LOBSTERS
Also called Florida spiny lobsters, rock lobsters or crayfish, these crustaceans are not in the same family as the common Maine lobster. Despite their resemblance to each other, the two groups are not closely related. Spiny Lobsters have long, thick, spiny antennae and are without claws, while Maine lobsters have smaller antennae and large claws. Spiny lobsters get their name from the forward-pointing spines that cover their bodies to help protect them from predators.

They vary in color from redish-orange to a darker orange-brown. They can be identified by the multiple yellow spots on their tails. These lobsters are found in warmer waters such as the Caribbean . They are social creatures living in rocks crevices and on coral reefs. Spiny lobsters feed on snails, clams, crabs, sea urchins or dead animal matter.

STONE CRABS
Stone Crabs can be found anywhere from North Carolina to Belize, including Texas, Florida and the Bahamas. There are two species of stone crabs found in Florida; the Florida Stone Crab and the Gulf Stone Crab. They have been know to mate with each other, creating hybrid crabs. The Gulf Stone Crab is smaller and has a dark brown body while the Florida Stone Crab is brownish red with grey spots and tan underneath.

Their most prominent feature is their large claws which are different sizes and have black tips. You can find stone crabs on bottoms of bays, oyster reefs and rock jetties where they can burrow or find shelter from predators. Stones crabs hunt by burrowing under the mud and waiting for their prey; they feed on oysters, small mollusks and other crustaceans.

Resources for this article have been provided by Wikipedia, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.