|
|
THE WESTERN ROCK LOBSTER (Panulirus cygnus)
The Western Rock Lobster is a spiny rock lobster with a shell that is covered with sharp thorny spines and short bristles. They do not have claws, but rather feature long feelers on the antennae and smooth horns over the eyes.
The colour of Western Rock Lobsters varies with the time of year, maturity and habitat from a light pink to a dark red colour. They are found in the clear, pristine waters off the coast of Western Australia and typically live in reef or rocky habitats where there is plenty of cover and protection. The lobsters are essentially reef harvesters, feeding on such things as sea lettuce, algae, echinoderm spines, polychaete worms and molluscs.
Western Rock Lobsters only grow during moulting when the hard rigid shell is shed and replaced by a new shell. This process takes 2-3 days but the actual casting off of the shell only takes 5-10 minutes and allows for repairs to the shell and the regeneration of lost legs. After about 12 months they grow to around 20 –25mm in length.
The breeding season for mature Western Rock Lobsters is usually in July and August although some start as early as June and finish as late as December.
Breeding can be prompted by day length, lunar cycles and water temperature. Lobsters produce a vast number of eggs that are kept under the females tail until they hatch and are released and left to the mercy of the ocean and predators. There is an enormous mortality rate between spawning and maturity.
The Western Australian Rock Lobster Fishery has an international reputation as the best managed and controlled fishery ensuring the sustainability of the industry and the consistent supply of Western Rock Lobsters throughout the world.
|
|
