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 25�C 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.