Thenus

Thenus orientalis is a species of slipper lobster from the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Moreton Bay bug flesh prior to cooking

Thenus orientalis

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Subphylum:
Crustacea
Class:
Malacostraca
Order:
Decapoda
Family:
Scyllaridae
Subfamily:
Theninae

Holthuis, 1985
Genus:
Thenus

Leach, 1815
Species:
T. orientalis
Binomial name
Thenus orientalis
(Lund, 1793) [2]

T. orientalis is known by a number of common names. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization prefers the name flathead lobster, while the official Australian name is Bay lobster.[3][4] In Australia, it is more widely known as the Moreton Bay bug after Moreton Bay, near Brisbane, Queensland.[4] In Singapore, both the flathead lobster and true crayfish are called crayfish. They are used in many Singaporean dishes.[5][6][7][8][9] The species is sometimes confused with the Balmain bug (Ibacus peronii) but it can be distinguished by the placement of the eyes: the eyes of I. peronii are near the midline, while those of T. orientalis are at the margin of the carapace.[10]

T. orientalis has a strongly depressed body and grows to a maximum body length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in), or a carapace length of 8 cm (3.1 in).[3]

Thenus orientalis at a market in Thailand.

Thenus orientalis has an Indo-West Pacific distribution, ranging from the east coast of Africa (southern Red Sea, to Natal) to China including the Persian Gulf, southern Japan, the Philippines and along the northern coast of Australia from Western Australia to Queensland.[3] They are also caught on a small scale off the shores of Malaysia and Singapore.[3]

References
  1. T. Y. Chan; M. Butler; A. Cockcroft; A. MacDiarmid; R. Wahle & P. Ng Kee Lin (2011). "Thenus orientalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T169979A6698039. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T169979A6698039.en.
  2. Lund, N. T. (1793). "Slægten Scyllarus. Iagttagelser til Insekternes Historie. I.". Skr. Naturh.-Selsk. Kiobenhavn. 2 (2): 17–22.
  3. Lipke B. Holthuis (1991). "Thenus orientalis". Marine Lobsters of the World. FAO Species Catalogue, Volume 13. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Food and Agriculture Organization. pp. 227–228. ISBN 92-5-103027-8. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011.
  4. "Species Thenus orientalis (Lund, 1793)". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 3 June 2010. Archived from the original on 29 December 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  5. "Straits Cafe @ Rendezvous Hotel – International Buffet".
  6. "Sakura International Buffet".
  7. "Singapore-Malaysia Trip: East Coast Seafood Centre".
  8. "Sweet Chilli Crayfish (龙马精神)".
  9. "What did you eat during the weekend/Holiday?". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011.
  10. "Balmain Bug Ibacus peronii". New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  • Photos of Thenus on Sealife Collection
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