Ecology Summary - Panulirus penicillatus

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Ecology of Panulirus penicillatus

Main Ref.	Holthuis, L.B., 1991
Remarks	Occurs at a depth range of 1 to 4 m on rocky substrates. It is usually found in clear waters often in surf zones and in surge channels; often near arid coasts and on small islands. The species is not gregarious and is nocturnal, hiding in the daytime in crevices in the rocks and coral reefs (Ref. 4) and moving at night to surge channels at the reef edge and into shallow reef flats (Ref. 84816). Primarily inhabits outer reef slopes (Refs. 84816, 106196). On rocky subtidal zone. Found in groups of more than 20 in submerged caves and lava tunnels during the day (Ref. 106199). In general, palinurids are mainly carnivores, usually feeding upon sluggish, easily captured animals where most material is eaten alive or freshly killed (Ref. 105260). Associated with a pedunculate barnacle (Ref. 105259).

Main Ref.

Holthuis, L.B., 1991

Remarks

Occurs at a depth range of 1 to 4 m on rocky substrates. It is usually found in clear waters often in surf zones and in surge channels; often near arid coasts and on small islands. The species is not gregarious and is nocturnal, hiding in the daytime in crevices in the rocks and coral reefs (Ref. 4) and moving at night to surge channels at the reef edge and into shallow reef flats (Ref. 84816). Primarily inhabits outer reef slopes (Refs. 84816, 106196). On rocky subtidal zone. Found in groups of more than 20 in submerged caves and lava tunnels during the day (Ref. 106199). In general, palinurids are mainly carnivores, usually feeding upon sluggish, easily captured animals where most material is eaten alive or freshly killed (Ref. 105260). Associated with a pedunculate barnacle (Ref. 105259).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Panulirus penicillatus may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic: mobile; Hard Bottom: rocky;
Substrate Ref.	Holthuis, L.B., 1991
Special habitats	Beds: rock; Coral Reefs: reef slope/drop-offs; reef flats;
Special habitats Ref.	Holthuis, L.B., 1991

Associations

Ref.	Holthuis, L.B., 1991
Associations
Associated with	Trilasmis fissum hawaiense (Ref. 105259).
Association remarks	The pedunculate barnacle is located at the oral region of the lobster, gaining nourishment and protection against predators (Ref. 105259).
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Hearn, A. and C. Murillo, 2008
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Hearn, A. and C. Murillo, 2008

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	3.65	0.35			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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