Palinurus mauritanicus (common name: pink spiny lobster) is a species of spiny lobster. It is found in deep waters in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the western Mediterranean Sea.

Description The pink spiny lobster differs from Palinurus elephas, by its first pair of pereiopods (walking legs) that are as slender as its other pereiopods. The carapace shows two conspicuous, longitudinal rows of forward-directed spines. The peduncle, the base segment of the antenna, is particularly stout. The pink spiny lobster may attain an age of at least 21 years.

Distribution and habitat It is distributed from south-western Ireland southwards throughout the western Mediterranean Sea (as far east as to Sicily, but not in the Adriatic Sea) and along the West African coast to Senegal. Palinurus mauritanicus and Palinurus elephas, are the only species of the family Palinuridae that occur both in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is found on muddy or rocky bottoms at the edge of the continental shelf, but, off Europe in waters deeper than 200 m. Its greatest numbers occur at depths of between 200 and 400 metres (660 and 1,310 ft).