The waters around Veterans Reef hold the tasty Spiny Lobster (Palinurus) which, unlike their northern relatives, lack claws.  They receive their name from their very spiny bodies.  During the day they hide under rocks, ledges, wrecks or any other structure that affords protection from their predators, such as the nurse shark.  They come out at night to feed, often holing up the next morning in a new hiding place.  The Florida spiny lobster can grow to well over ten pounds, and live for many years.  While more prevalent in waters to the south of Veterans Reef, the lobsters that are found in the area tend to be quite large.  Lobster season in Florida begins in August and ends in April.  Some are caught by divers, but most are caught by commercial fisherman using traps.  Sometimes the spiny lobster can be seen marching in long lines, head to tail, across the bottom.  No one seems to know quite why they do this.