Southern Rock Lobster

Jasus edwardsii

Also known as: Common Crayfish, Common New Zealand Crayfish, Cray, Crayfish, Marine Spiny Lobster, Melbourne Crayfish, Red Crayfish, Red Rock Lobster, Red Spiny Lobster, Rock Lobster, Southern Crayfish, Southern Lobster, Southern Spiny Lobster, Spiny Crayfish, Spiny Rock Lobster, Tasmanian Crayfish

ALSO KNOWN AS

Common Crayfish
Common New Zealand Crayfish
Cray
Crayfish
Marine Spiny Lobster
Melbourne Crayfish
Red Crayfish
Red Rock Lobster
Red Spiny Lobster
Rock Lobster
Southern Crayfish
Southern Lobster
Southern Spiny Lobster
Spiny Crayfish
Spiny Rock Lobster
Tasmanian Crayfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2011

Add a photo

Southern Rock Lobster adult, photographed at Sydney Aquarium, Australia — @epic · Sydney Aquarium, Australia · June 20171 / 1

Overview

Found singly, or in small squads, during the day, close to caves, crevices, and ledges of the reef, dispersing at night, foraging for food, over rocky shores.
The feed nocturnally on crustaceans 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

Behaviour: loose groups nocturnal shelters in caves shelters in crevices solitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

Habitat & where to find it

Range · Indo-West Pacific
Exact location · 1

LIVES IN

Found singly, or in small squads, during the day, close to caves, crevices, and ledges of the reef, dispersing at night, foraging for food, over rocky shores.

RANGE