Reef Stories

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Lobsters

With character!



Crab Index

Crabs



General

Crabs - general

Carrier Crabs

Coral crabs

Coral Crabs

Coral crabs

Decorator Crabs

Decorator Crabs

Gall Crabs

Decorator Crabs

Land & Sea Crabs

Land & sea crabs

Lobsters

Lobsters

Porcelain Crabs

Lobsters

Round Crabs

Lobsters

Swimming Crabs

Lobsters


Panulirus versicolor
Panulirus versicolor group hiding
Panulirus versicolor juvenile
Panulirus versicolor - juvenile tail
Biactus sp.?
Parribacus antarcticus

Squat Lobsters



Squat lobsters on coral reefs tend to be very small and emerge mostly at night. They occur in large numbers and can be seen on the side of stones, on sea pens, soft corals, and in sheltered stony areas. Allogalathea at 2cm long are the largest of the reef dwellers. They are at home in the middle of feather stars. Uroptychus live mostly in soft corals where their cryptic patterning makes them blend into the background. Lauriea siagiani, the Hairy Squat Lobster is at home deep in the crevices on the sides of giant barrel sponges. Mundina live in cracks and small holes in the side of small caves in reefs.

They are related to lobsters, but are flattened and have a number of other morphological differences.

Allogalathea elegans
Allogalathea elegans
Allogalathea babei
Galathea bimaculata
Galathea sp.
Galatheas sp.
Mundia sp.
?Galathea
Lauriea siagiani
Lauriea siagiani
Mundia sp.
Mundia sp.
Mundia sp.
Mundia sp.
Ramunida elegantissima
Ramunida elegantissima
Uroptychus joloensis
Uroptychus joloensis

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Lobsters

Panulirus versicolor
Panulirus versicolor group hiding
Panulirus versicolor juvenile
Panulirus versicolor - juvenile tail
Biactus sp.?
Parribacus antarcticus

Squat Lobsters

Allogalathea elegans
Allogalathea elegans
Galathea bimaculata
Galathea sp.
Galatheas sp.
Galathea sp.
?Galathea
Lauriea siagiani
Mundia sp.
Mundia sp.
Ramunida elegantissima
Uroptychus joloensis