Munida gregaria

The species was first described from Patagonia by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793. A study of population samples from New Zealand and from the Tierra del Fuego region indicate they are the same species, despite the large distance and deep ocean between these locations. Its specific epithet (gregaria) derives from its behaviour in the immature phase to form very large shoals or swarms of many tens of thousands of individuals in shallow coastal waters. This can result in mass strandings. Munida gregaria is sometimes referred to as lobster krill because it looks like a baby lobster and is found in swarms near the surface like krill. == Habitat and distribution ==

In South America, the species has been identified in Chile, and the Strait of Magellan. During his voyage with James Cook on in 1769, Joseph Banks described small shoals near Cape Horn. are occasionally seen around the southern parts of Cook Strait and the beaches of Nelson. They come inshore in large numbers during this phase of their life-cycle, seeking suitable habitat. Some aggregations seen from the air have been in bands up to wide but long; formation of shoals varies from year to year, with little or no shoaling observed every 3 to 5 years. The post-larval stage typically lasts until February when the animals begin the benthic phase of their life-cycle and settle on the sea floor. Adults that settle on the bottom may live for 2 or 3 years. == References ==