Captive broodstock of the spiny lobster, Panulirus homarus, mated successfully and produced more than 105 spawnings over 4 years. Improvements in nutrition and rearing conditions increased the number of spawnings from less than 2, to 4 per year. A single breeder mates three or more times in a year and may spawn more than once following a single mating. An average of four repetitive spawnings per year was recorded. One third of the females spawned 5 times and a single female spawned 7 times in one year. The phyllosoma were released in one or two batches on successive days. The number of phyllosoma larvae released varied from 16 000 to 529 180 with breeder weights ranging from 218 to 696 g.

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A pair of subadult Panulirus ornatus was reared in the laboratory from July 2001. The female grew from 0.6 to 1.3 kg and the male from 0.5 to 1.6 kg in 2 years before the first mating in July 2003. In 6 months, from July to December 2003, the pair mated and spawned 3 times, producing 1.6 million eggs and 1.1 million phyllosoma larvae. Mating occurred 25 and 63 days after moulting. The female spawned 2-3 days after mating and the incubation time ranged from 23 to 27 days. The phyllosoma larvae were released over 2 successive days. The growth rate reduced after first mating in both the male and female and the female expended 42% of the total weight gain for egg production.

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