The diet of post-puerulus western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus George, at Seven Mile Beach, Western Australia

Abstract

Post-puerulus western rock lobsters (juveniles within their first year after settlement), taken from natural habitats and artificial collectors at Seven Mile Beach, had consumed a variety of plant and animal material. Post-pueruli in the natural environment foraged amongst seagrass and macroalgae on limestone reefs, and animals on the collectors probably foraged only on the collectors. The major components in the diet were coralline algae, molluscs and crustaceans. The ratios of these in the contents of the fore-gut were related to moult stage. Although the dietary spectrum of the post-pueruli was similar to that of larger juveniles at the same site, the ratios of food items were different.