Biochemical composition of a meso-bathyal lobster (Polycheles typhlops, Heller 1862 Decapoda, Palinura, Polychelidae)

To characterise some traits of the life strategies of Polycheles typhlops, a deep-sea small lobster usually encountered as by-catch within deep trawls in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Mediterranean Sea), we analysed the biochemical composition of the caudal muscles of 49 specimens collected in March and April 2007. Differences in the biochemical composition between females and males were weak, but relevant differences in protein (>90% of the organic C) and lipid (4-6%) contents were observed between developmental stages both in females and males. These differences are likely to be related to different food items and/or to the metabolic shifts associated with their reproduction. We argue that this deep-sea lobster could cover a relevant role in the meso-pelagic food webs and attract future commercial interest.