Panulirus versicolor | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Order: | Decapoda |
Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
Family: | Palinuridae |
Genus: | Panulirus |
Species: | P. versicolor |
Binomial name | |
Panulirus versicolor (Latreille, 1804) | |
Synonyms | |
Panulirus versicolor is a species of spiny lobster that lives in tropical reefs in the Indo-Pacific. Other names include painted lobster, common rock lobster, bamboo lobster, blue lobster, and blue spiny lobster. P. versicolor is one of the three most common varieties of spiny lobster in Sri Lanka, alongside Panulirus homarus and Panulirus ornatus . [4]
The genus name Panulirus derives from the Greek word palin (meaning backwards) and oura (meaning tail and can be translated into which stands with the tail folded under the abdomen. The species name versicolor is a Latin word meaning of different colors. [3]
Panulirus versicolor grows up to 40 centimetres (16 in) long, but is typically no more than 30 cm (12 in). [5] It has no claws, two spiny rostra over the eyes, and two pairs of large antennae, like all spiny lobsters. The first pair of antennae are double ended, the second hard and spiny, both are usually white. The carapace is cylindrical, made of chitin, very solid and not extensible. The coloration is white, pink and black, with horizontal bands and a reticule. The abdomen is green with transverse black and white bands. The legs are dark blue to black with white stripes and the tail is blue-green. The tail is made up of five yellowish appendages yellowish at its base, with an apical blue area and a white margin. Also juveniles have a bright blue coloration with white lines, while the base of the antennas is white instead of pink. [3] This species is rather similar to Panulirus femoristriga and Panulirus longipes . [3]
In P. versicolor the reproduction usually takes place in summer, but it can happen all year around. Mating occurs belly to belly after a love parade. The spermatophore released by the males adheres to the female's sternum for several weeks. Females carry their eggs, about several hundred thousand, under their abdomen. A long oceanic larval phase follows, with several moults. [3] These spiny lobster are nocturnal and solitary. [5] In the daytime they hide in small caves and crevices in reefs or under coral. [5] They are carnivores, eating both carrion and fresh caught arthropods, other crustaceans, and occasional small fish.
Panulirus versicolor is present in the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean. [6] In the Indian Ocean it occurs from as far south on the east coast of Africa as Natal, up through the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, in the Arabian Sea across to India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia, down through Indonesia to the waters of north-western Australia. In the western and central Pacific, it occurs as far north as southern Japan, throughout Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia and in the waters of north-eastern Australia. [7]
A single P. versicolor was found in shallow coastal waters of Georgia, United States, in 2012. Likely deliberately released as an adult or unintentionally transported as a larva in a cargo ship's ballast water, it was the first specimen reported in the U.S. and the Atlantic Ocean. [7]
This species occurs in the shallow tropical waters, in coral reef ecosystems and on seaward edges of the reef plateau, at depths up to 15 metres (49 ft). [2]
Panulirus versicolor is very commercially exploited, which has led to its rarefaction or even disappearance in many places; however, as its range is large and includes many protected areas, the species is not considered to be globally threatened. [1] It is used as a food source throughout its range. [5] P. versicolor is also kept in home aquariums. [8] [9]
Spiny lobsters, also known as langustas, langouste, or rock lobsters, are a family (Palinuridae) of about 60 species of achelate crustaceans, in the Decapoda Reptantia. Spiny lobsters are also, especially in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and the Bahamas, called crayfish, sea crayfish, or crawfish, terms which elsewhere are reserved for freshwater crayfish.
Marine angelfish are perciform fish of the family Pomacanthidae. They are found on shallow reefs in the tropical Atlantic, Indian, and mostly western Pacific Oceans. The family contains seven genera and about 86 species. They should not be confused with the freshwater angelfish, tropical cichlids of the Amazon Basin.
The clown triggerfish, also known as the bigspotted triggerfish, is a demersal marine fish belonging to the family Balistidae, or commonly called triggerfish.
The California spiny lobster is a species of spiny lobster found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Monterey Bay, California, to the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico. It typically grows to a length of 30 cm (12 in) and is a reddish-brown color with stripes along the legs, and has a pair of enlarged antennae but no claws. The interrupted grooves across the tail are characteristic for the species.
Lobsters are widely fished around the world for their meat. They are often hard to catch in large numbers, but their large size can make them a profitable catch. Although the majority of the targeted species are tropical, the majority of the global catch is in temperate waters.
Panulirus cygnus is a species of spiny lobster, found off the west coast of Australia. Panulirus cygnus is the basis of Australia's most valuable fishery, making up 20% of value of Australia's total fishing industry, and is identified as the western rock lobster.
Panulirus argus, the Caribbean spiny lobster, is a species of spiny lobster that lives on reefs and in mangrove swamps in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Cephalopholis urodeta, the darkfin hind, flagtail rockcod, chevron rockcod, duskyfin hind, duskyfin rockcod, flagtail grouper or V-tail grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is in the family Serranidae which also includes the anthias and sea basses. This fish occurs in the Western Pacific Ocean and the far eastern Indian Ocean.
The yellowback fusilier is a pelagic marine ray-finned fish, a fusilier belonging to the family Caesionidae. It is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific, being found in shallow water from the East African coast to Indonesia.
Scyllarides latus, the Mediterranean slipper lobster, is a species of slipper lobster found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is edible and highly regarded as food, but is now rare over much of its range due to overfishing. Adults may grow to 1 foot (30 cm) long, are camouflaged, and have no claws. They are nocturnal, emerging from caves and other shelters during the night to feed on molluscs. As well as being eaten by humans, S. latus is also preyed upon by a variety of bony fish. Its closest relative is S. herklotsii, which occurs off the Atlantic coast of West Africa; other species of Scyllarides occur in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Indo-Pacific. The larvae and young animals are largely unknown.
Panulirus pascuensis is a species of spiny lobster found around Easter Island and the Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is known in English as the Easter Island spiny lobster, Langosta de Isla de Pascua in Spanish and Ura in the Rapa Nui language. This lobster is fished on a small scale for local consumption.
Panulirus homarus is a species of spiny lobster that lives along the coasts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It lives in shallow water, and feeds on the brown mussel Perna perna. It typically grows to a length of 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in). Alongside the dark green nominate subspecies, two red subspecies are recognised, one around the Arabian Peninsula, and one around southern Africa. It is the subject of small-scale fishery.
Panulirus ornatus is a large edible spiny lobster with 11 larval stages that has been successfully bred in captivity.
Panulirus guttatus, the spotted spiny lobster or Guinea chick lobster, is a species of spiny lobster that lives on shallow rocky reefs in the tropical West Atlantic and Caribbean Sea.
Panulirus echinatus, the brown spiny lobster, is a species of spiny lobster that lives on rocky reefs in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean and central Atlantic Islands.
Panulirus longipes, the longlegged spiny lobster, is a species of spiny lobster that lives on shallow rocky and coral reefs in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Panulirus penicillatus is a species of spiny lobster that lives on shallow rocky and coral reefs in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Common names for this spiny lobster include variegated crayfish, tufted spiny lobster, spiny lobster, Socorro spiny lobster, red lobster, pronghorn spiny lobster, golden rock lobster, double spined rock lobster and coral cray. It has a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Halichoeres prosopeion, commonly called the twotone wrasse, half-grey wrasse or zig-zag wrasse, is a fish species in the wrasse family native to the western Pacific Ocean.
Panulirus inflatus, the blue spiny lobster, is a species of crustacean in the family Palinuridae. It is found at rocky reefs to depths of 30 m (100 ft) in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico, ranging from Baja California to Chiapas. It is commonly caught in artisanal fisheries, but the species is not threatened, being categorized as least concern by the IUCN. There are no subspecies.
Cinetorhynchus rigens is a species of shrimp in the family Rhynchocinetidae. Common names include mechanical shrimp, Atlantic dancing shrimp, red night shrimp and red coral shrimp. It occurs in shallow water in the tropical Atlantic Ocean.