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Panulirus versicolor (Latreille, 1804)
It is known as “painted spiny lobster”. It has a maximum body length of 40 cm.
Body length is commonly between 20 and 30 cm. It is found in reef areas at depths
of usually less than 16 m in clear or sometimes turbid water with strong currents,
often on seaward edges of reef plateau. Actively it is fished by divers, but apparently
rarely enters traps or pots. The catches of this lobster are nowhere very large, and it
is mainly locally consumed live, fresh, cooked whole, or tailed, but in some regions,
such as from the Philippines, exported live or tailed. It is widely distributed in the
Indo-Pacific from the eastern coast of Africa to the Red Sea, Japan, northern
Australia, and French Polynesia (Chan 1998b).
Panulirus penicillatus (Olivier, 1791)
It is known as “pronghorn spiny lobster”. It has a maximum body length of 40 cm.
Body length is commonly between 20 and 30 cm. It is found in shallow waters, usually at depths from 1 to 4 m at seaward edges of reefs, in clean waters not influenced
by rivers. Good catches are often possible during dark nights, particularly after the
full moon. It is mostly taken during day or night diving by hand and spear, sometimes also by trammel nets and traps. However, the catches are generally not very
abundant, and it is mostly sold fresh, live, cooked whole or tailed for local consumption, but also exported in some regions, such as Philippines and Indonesia. It is
widely distributed in the Indo-pacific from the eastern coast of Africa to the Red
Sea, Japan, Australia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, and Offshore islands near the
western coasts of America (Chan 1998b).
Panulirus longipes (A. Milne-Edwards, 1868)
It is known as “long legged spiny lobster”. It has a maximum body length of 60 cm.
Body length is commonly between 20 and 35 cm. It is found in shallow coral or
rocky reefs, usually in clear waters with moderate currents, sometimes in slightly
turbid waters. It is fished mostly by divers during night diving, also with traps, tangle nets and lobster pots. The Fishery of this lobster is mostly of local interest. In
some regions such as Philippines and Indonesia, occasionally is exported live,
together with other species of this genus. It is sold mostly fresh or frozen in local
markets. It is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to Japan and
Fiji (Chan 1998b).
Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787)
Its maximum total body length is 50 cm, but usually not larger than 40 cm. The species lives on rocky bottoms, rarely on sand, in depths from 5 to 160 m, mostly
between 10 and 70 m. Ovigerous females from September-October to FebruaryMarch. is mostly caught with lobster pots, occasionally on hook-and-line and by
spearing, rarely with trawls, tangles, or trammel nets. It is distributed in Eastern
Atlantic, from southwestern Norway to Morocco, also in the Mediterranean, except
the extreme eastern and south eastern parts (Holthuis 1991) (Fig. 2.11).
Palinurus delagoae (Barnard 1926)
Its maximum total body length is 35 cm, carapace length to 17 cm: average carapace
length about 10 cm. It lives at 0 to 400 m depth, usually between 180 and 324 m. Off
2 Crustacean Shellfish
Panulirus versicolor (Latreille, 1804)
It is known as “painted spiny lobster”. It has a maximum body length of 40 cm.
Body length is commonly between 20 and 30 cm. It is found in reef areas at depths
of usually less than 16 m in clear or sometimes turbid water with strong currents,
often on seaward edges of reef plateau. Actively it is fished by divers, but apparently
rarely enters traps or pots. The catches of this lobster are nowhere very large, and it
is mainly locally consumed live, fresh, cooked whole, or tailed, but in some regions,
such as from the Philippines, exported live or tailed. It is widely distributed in the
Indo-Pacific from the eastern coast of Africa to the Red Sea, Japan, northern
Australia, and French Polynesia (Chan 1998b).
Panulirus penicillatus (Olivier, 1791)
It is known as “pronghorn spiny lobster”. It has a maximum body length of 40 cm.
Body length is commonly between 20 and 30 cm. It is found in shallow waters, usually at depths from 1 to 4 m at seaward edges of reefs, in clean waters not influenced
by rivers. Good catches are often possible during dark nights, particularly after the
full moon. It is mostly taken during day or night diving by hand and spear, sometimes also by trammel nets and traps. However, the catches are generally not very
abundant, and it is mostly sold fresh, live, cooked whole or tailed for local consumption, but also exported in some regions, such as Philippines and Indonesia. It is
widely distributed in the Indo-pacific from the eastern coast of Africa to the Red
Sea, Japan, Australia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, and Offshore islands near the
western coasts of America (Chan 1998b).
Panulirus longipes (A. Milne-Edwards, 1868)
It is known as “long legged spiny lobster”. It has a maximum body length of 60 cm.
Body length is commonly between 20 and 35 cm. It is found in shallow coral or
rocky reefs, usually in clear waters with moderate currents, sometimes in slightly
turbid waters. It is fished mostly by divers during night diving, also with traps, tangle nets and lobster pots. The Fishery of this lobster is mostly of local interest. In
some regions such as Philippines and Indonesia, occasionally is exported live,
together with other species of this genus. It is sold mostly fresh or frozen in local
markets. It is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to Japan and
Fiji (Chan 1998b).
Palinurus elephas (Fabricius, 1787)
Its maximum total body length is 50 cm, but usually not larger than 40 cm. The species lives on rocky bottoms, rarely on sand, in depths from 5 to 160 m, mostly
between 10 and 70 m. Ovigerous females from September-October to FebruaryMarch. is mostly caught with lobster pots, occasionally on hook-and-line and by
spearing, rarely with trawls, tangles, or trammel nets. It is distributed in Eastern
Atlantic, from southwestern Norway to Morocco, also in the Mediterranean, except
the extreme eastern and south eastern parts (Holthuis 1991) (Fig. 2.11).
Palinurus delagoae (Barnard 1926)
Its maximum total body length is 35 cm, carapace length to 17 cm: average carapace
length about 10 cm. It lives at 0 to 400 m depth, usually between 180 and 324 m. Off
2 Crustacean Shellfish