SHOVELNOSE LOBSTER WASHED UP @ WERRIBEE
May 28, 2009 by BayKeeper
Filed under Featured, Wild Things
Many thanks to Andrew McCutcheon for sending notes and pics of a Shovelnose Lobster Ibacus peronii (also known as Balmain Bug) found on its back on the beach at the Spit Nature Conservation Reserve on May 20/09. The critter was alive (but not at all lively) and released back to the water.
The Museum Vic website says Balmain Bugs grow to 230 mm long and live on soft sand and mud at depths between 10 and 250 m. They’re distributed across southern Australia from southern Queensland to central Western Australia.
Edgar’s ‘Australian Marine Life’ says that like their relative, the Wollongong Bug, they live in deeper waters in coastal bays on a soft silt bottom, are moderately common, and excellent eating but not as popular as rock lobster. The animal’s flat shape enables it to partly bury in exposed, soft sediments.
shovelnose underworld (pic by Andrew McCutcheon)
The species is mentioned on the Fishnet website (dated May 1, 2006) fishnet.com.au as follows:
Jack asks:Geoff, While fishing off Clifton Springs I caught this creature, reddish in colour, that looked to be a cross between a crayfish and a crab. Do you know what it would be?
Geoff says: Jack, the creature you caught was almost certainly a shovelnose lobster or Balmain Bug (Ibacus peronii). They used to be fairly common in Port Phillip Bay prior to scallop dredging. Perhaps they are making a comeback.
Maybe they are. But finding a ‘deeper water’ species almost on the beach raises some doubts, at least for this animal. But hey….. maybe the freckled colouring indicates a whole new species, the Werribee Bug, Ibacus mccutheoni ? 
I Recently found a Shovelnose on the beach of Silverleaves at Phillip Island with my mum, we had never seen a creature like this before. It was on the shore lying on its back I went to move it and we found it was still alive but lethargic. After lifting it carefully on a back of a shoe, we placed it in to deeper water.
My son was diving for scallops in the D`Entrecasteaux Channel south of Hobart on sunday 11/7/10 & caught 2 of these shovel nosed crayfish in 40ft of water, the water temp was 10dc and he was off Gordon boat ramp.
By all accounts they do like deep water John and are found in southern Australian waters and around New Zealand. That’s great that your son was as able to provide the water temp as it tells us more about the critter’s tolerances. I’m wondering if he’s found them there before?
I found a balmain bug on my local beach at Rosebud this morning. Unfortunetly it had not survived the recent storms and was washed up high and dry on the sand but not damaged and instantly recognized what it was. I have found them before on occasions and am interested to know how common they are in the bay.
Thanks for the report Bridgit. I’ve never met one in my Bay rambles and suspect they are relatively rare. Perhaps their preference for water deeper than 10m makes them less likely to meet people! But there seems to be quite a few species expanding their range as the eastern Australian current warms. Speaking of rarity, I understand you’re quite a rare artist, combining beautiful colour illustrations of marine life. That’s fantastic!