The painted lobster, Panulirus versicolor, is a species of spiny lobster that inhabits tropical reefs in the Indo West-Pacific. It has other names such as the painted rock lobster, or blue spiny lobster.
P. versicolor can reach up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) in length with a banded white, pink, and black carapace. The legs are dark brown with white stripes and the tail is blue-green.
The species is nocturnal, hiding in crevices and small caves during the day. It comes out to hunt at night and is carnivorous, feeding on other crustaceans, mollusks, carrion, and sometimes small fish.
You can see a painted lobster hiding in a crevice in this video filmed on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
The soft flexible tail allows the lobster to swim quickly backwards when threatened. They are fished throughout their range, often for gourmet dining.
Matthew Oldfield is a freelance photographer based in Bali, Indonesia, specializing in editorial and documentary images from both above and below the waves. He works primarily with charities, NGO’s, and other organizations working to conserve the environment, endangered species, and disappearing cultures.
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