A large adult lobster's curiosity seems to override its instinct for self-preservation as it slowly approaches me from its hiding place under a coral overhang. After only a few seconds it will decide to back up, warily retreating to the safety of its lair. This pattern of advancing then retreating seems typical among these creatures, known as either "rock" or "spiny" lobsters (Panulirus versicolor). This colorful specimen has fuzzy growths of green algae on the tips of its legs.

About this image

Identification
Panulirus versicolor
Location

Luzon Island, Philippines

Contributors
Jeffrey N. Jeffords
photographer copyright holder identification
Subjects

Conditions of use

Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License .

To cite this page: Jeffords, J. 2004. "lobster3.jpg" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed {%B %d, %Y} at https://animaldiversity.org/collections/contributors/jeffrey_jeffords/misc.inverts/lobster3/

Last updated: 2004-36-14 / Generated: 2025-09-15 02:01

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