Painted Crayfish
Panulirus versicolor
This brightly coloured crayfish is easily recognised by the long black and white stripes along the legs, green abdomen with white and black stripes. They grow up to 40 cm in length.
Morphology
Typical of spiny lobsters are the numerous spines on the base of the antenna and carapace, with a particularly strong pair of forward curved spines between the eyes. Each abdominal segment is smooth and lacks a transverse groove unlike many other spiny lobsters.
Evolution
The painted crayfish belongs to the family Palinuridae along with the Western and Southern Rock Lobsters, and other members of this family can be found worldwide. The palinurids have been found as fossils dating back ~200 mya and diversified during the Cretaceous as Pangaea broke apart, changing the ocean currents on which the larval stages rely upon.
Behaviour
Painted Crayfish are solitary unlike the Western Rock Lobster, but both are nocturnal and hide in caves and crevices during the day. They are carnivores but not aggressive and will mainly scavenge or catch slow moving prey. If disturbed by an eager biologist, they will flick their powerful tails to quickly escape.
Method of reproduction
Eggs are fertilised externally, and are brooded under the female abdomen. The larvae are released into the water column once they hatch.
Habitat
Marine
Found in crevices, caves and overhangs on coral reefs.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific.
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Subclass: | Eumalacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
| Infraorder: | Achelata |
| Family: | Palinuridae |
| Genus: | Panulirus |
| Species: | versicolor |
| Name Published Year: | 1804 |
|---|---|
| Rank: | species |
| Scientific Name Authorship: | Latreille |
| Commercial Impact: | Relatively small commercial fishery |
| Conservation Assessment: | Least Concern |
Cite this page
Western Australian Museum Collections https://museum.wa.gov.au/online-collections/names/panulirus-versicolor
Accessed 25 Apr 2025
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