Thenus australiensis
Moreton Bay Bug
©Anne Hoggett: Thenus australiensis about 20 cm long on soft bottom away from base of reef near South Island, Lizard Island, about 24 metres depth
©Anne Hoggett: Thenus australiensis about 20 cm long on soft bottom away from base of reef near South Island, Lizard Island, about 24 metres depth. Note eyes positioned at edge of carapace.
©Anne Hoggett: Thenus australiensis about 20 cm long on soft bottom away from base of reef near South Island, Lizard Island, about 24 metres depth. Note spots on walking legs.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Malacostraca
Order
Decapoda
Family
Scyllaridae
Genus
Thenus
Species
Thenus australiensis
Colours
Distinguishing features
A slipper lobster with eyes located at the edge of the carapace and with spots on the walking legs.
Burton and Davie (2007) revised this genus and found that two species are present in Australia, only one of which has spots on the walking legs (pereiopods).
Size
- Size data has not been obtained.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Local abundance
- Lizard Island: The specimen photographed here appears to be the first record of the species from this area. However, its deeper water soft-bottom habitat is not often visited. Based on records elsewhere, it is likely to be quite common.
Web resources
References
- Burton, T.E. and P.J.F. Davie (2007). A revision of the shovel-nosed lobsters of the genus Thenus (Crustacea: Decapoda: Scyllaridae), with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa, 1429: 1-38.