Description: This squat lobster can reach up to 4 cm in length. The front claws are chunky and of equal length and have bristles. It somewhat resembles Galathea strigosa, but lacks the electric blue stripes. Colouration is reddish-green with some darker spots. There may be small stripes of brilliant blue colouration on side, towards the front of the body. The labrum (mouthpart) may also have brilliant blue markings.

Habitat: Sublittoral, usually found from 20 m + but occasionally found in shallower depths.

Distribution: Recorded around the coasts of Britain and Northern Ireland. Very few records from Ireland.

Similar Species: Could be confused with Galathea dispersa. Careful inspection of rostrum and antennae to distinguish.

Key Identification Features:

• Bristles on first pair of legs, but without blue stripes of G. strigosa.
• Reddish-green colouration with some lighter spots.
• Small stripes of brilliant blue coloration may be present on sides.
• Brilliant blue colouration on labrum (mouthpart).
• Rostrum narrower than G. dispersa.
• Antenna bears a spine lacking in G. dispersa.

Distribution Map from NBN: Galathea nexa at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Galathea nexa at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Galathea nexa

WoRMS: Galathea nexa at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Galathea nexa Embleton, 1836. AphiaID: 107152.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Arthropoda; Crustacea; Multicrustacea; Malacostraca; Eumalacostraca; Eucarida; Decapoda; Pleocyemata; Anomura; Galatheoidea; Galatheidae; Galathea