Locomotor Activity in the Western Rock Lobster, Panulirus longipes cygnus

Abstract

Daily locomotor activity rhythms in individual P. longipes cygnus were shown to be of a non- crepuscular nature with peak activity occurring immediately after the onset of darkness. Mean activity of animals in an intermoult stage increased with increasing temperature between 17 and 25ºC but then declined, whilst for animals in a premoult stage there was no significant trend with temperature, activity rates remaining at a low level. Individual variation of response of intermoult animals also increased with temperature and is suggested as a contributing factor to high daily variation in commercial catch rates during months of high water temperature.