Common name: Slipper Lobster.

Scientific name: Scyllarides latus (Latreille, 1803)

Family: Scyllaridae

Distribution and Habitat: Its presence in the region is common. It inhabits the infralittoral rocky and sandy bottoms between 5 and 25 m depth. During the night it searches for food buried in the sand, during the day it hides in crevices or caves in the rocks.

Description: Its large size may exceed a length of 45 cm. It has a robust carapace, somewhat square, covered in small bumps. The antennae are leaf-shaped and the legs are short and do not possess any pincers. The first pair of legs has a much more curved nail than the other pairs. It presents a reddish brown colouration with bluish edge around the carapace. The antennae and legs are also bluish.

Conservation statute and Threats: Insufficient data.

Observations: Despite its high commercial value, captures are sporadic due to its scarcity. It is a very appreciated species in the Madeiras gastronomy.