Painted Rock Lobster

Panulirus versicolor

Also known as: Bamboo Lobster, Blue Lobster, Blue Spiny Lobster, Common Rock Lobster, Marine Crayfish, Painted Coral Lobster, Painted Crayfish, Painted Lobster, Painted Spiny Lobster, Porcelain Crayfish, Rock Lobster, Striped Crayfish

ALSO KNOWN AS

Bamboo Lobster
Blue Lobster
Blue Spiny Lobster
Common Rock Lobster
Marine Crayfish
Painted Coral Lobster
Painted Crayfish
Painted Lobster
Painted Spiny Lobster
Porcelain Crayfish
Rock Lobster
Striped Crayfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2011

LIFE STAGE

Add a photo

Painted Rock Lobster adult, photographed at Makunudhoo Island Resort, Maldives — @fishx6 · Makunudhoo Island Resort, Maldives · August 20061 / 10

Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.

Overview

Found singly, hiding in caves, crevices, and holes in rocks during the day, out foraging for food at night, over shallow, clear water, reef plateau's and seaward reefs, sometimes in surf zones.
They feed nocturnally on crustaceans, detritus, and invertebrates.

Lobsters live in caves and crevices during the day, often several together, coming out at night to feed.
Sometimes caught in the torches of divers where they scuttle off back into the dark.
They do not have true claws, the soft and flexible tail is used for swimming rapidly backwards, for short distances to get away from danger.
Spiny lobsters are caught in baited lobster pots for gourmet dining.

How to identify

COLOURS

Pattern: stripes
Body shape: antennae warts
Behaviour: hides nocturnal shelters in caves shelters in crevices solitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

Habitat & where to find it

Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.

Range · Indo-Pacific
Country only · 10

LIVES IN

Found singly, hiding in caves, crevices, and holes in rocks during the day, out foraging for food at night, over shallow, clear water, reef plateau's and seaward reefs, sometimes in surf zones.

RANGE