Panulirus versicolor

(Latreille, 1804)

Vernacular names
English : Painted spiny lobster
French : Langouste peinte

Classification
Class : Malacostraca
Order : Decapoda
Family : Palinuridae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
This species grows to a body length of 40 cm but usually much smaller. Antennae are very long, clear with pink base. Greenish abdomen with black and white bands. Cephalothorax and legs are striped black and white.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the Indo-Pacific area, from Red Sea, east and South Africa to Japan, Australia and central Pacific around Polynesia. Lives in seaward areas of coral reefs, in shallow waters, down to 15 meters deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not listed
Status : The species is common to abundant. It isn’t an important target for fisheries and is only harvested on a small and local scale.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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