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2009, September 30.  Deep Sea Lobsters of the Philippines

Litho Offset.  Amstar Company, Inc.  Perf. 14.

Se-tenant Blocks of 4, Miniature Sheets of 16;  Souvenir Sheets of 4

 

             

 

Se-tenant Blocks of Four  (25,000)

 

   7p   Locust Lobster (Chelarctus aureus)

   7p   Blind Lobster (Polycheles coccifer)

   7p   Northwest Reef Lobster (Metanephrops australiensis)

   7p   Two Spot Locust Lobster (Remiarctus bertholdii)

 

Miniature Sheets of 16  (6,250) 

 

Souvenir Sheets of Four  (5,000)

  7p   Neptune Reef Lobster (Metanephrops neptunus)

  7p   Fan Lobster (Ibacus ciliatus)

  7p   Blue Back Locust Lobster (Petrarctus brevicomis)

  7p   BandedWhhip Lobster (Puerulus angulatus)

 

 

First Day Covers:  Manila

 

     

 

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LOBSTERS FOUND IN PHILIPPINE WATERS

 

LOCUST LOBSTER (Chelarctus aureus).  This lobster is found at depth ranging from 100 meters to 152 meters in Tayabas Bay and off Lubang Island in the Philippines, as well as in Fiji, Indonesia and South China Sea (Holthuis 2000).  Flattened, with a distinct anteroventral tooth and with two pubescent grooves on the outer surface. The short hairs on the body with a golden sheen.

BLIND LOBSTER (Polycheles coccifer).  This blind lobster has long, bizarre claws and belongs to the rare genus Thaumastochelopsis, a group previously represented by only four specimens. It was collected by the Census of Marine Life at a depth of about 300 meters and is only the third species from its genus ever discovered. This lobster has very tiny eyes and with no pigment. The head is shaped like a box, no rostrum, and with thread-like antennae.

NORTHWEST REEF LOBSTER (Metanephrops australiensis).   This lobster has large black eyes with spines on the body.  Longitudinal furrows are absent from abdominal tergites.    Its two main claws are equal in size.   Found mostly in lndo-West Pacific region in depths ranging from 418 to 500 m.  Total body length to 18 cm., carapace length 4 to 7 cm., average of 5 cm. 

TWO SPOT LOCUST LOBSTER (Remiarctus bertholdii).  This lobster has two large spots on the abdominal segment, one on each side slightly above the base of the swim merets. The head has a low and obscure teeth. They are found in a soft substrate of mud, sandy-mud, sand or coralline algae at depths between 40 and 75 meters. It can reach the size of 4.2 cm. in males.  This species is found from Taiwan, Province of China, to the Philippines and as far south as north-western Australia, Fiji and New Caledonia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Viet Nam, Singapore and China. 

NEPTUNE REEF LOBSTER ( Metanephrops neptunus).  This lobster has abdomen with two transverse grooves, the large pincer has the finger distinctly longer than the palm. Eyes large and black, body with spines. Depth range from 300 to 800 m. Bottom temperature 5C I1.9C.  Total body size is 18 to 25 cm. in length.

FAN LOBSTER (Ibacus ciliatus).  This lobster has extremely flattened body with the posterior margins of the head cut into 10 to 12 large teeth.  It has broad and flattened antennae. Surface of the body some-what smooth. Its legs are of the sizes.  It can be found in soft sand, mad, or clay at depths ranging from 48 meters to 314 meters.   Can be found mostly West Pacific, from Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and coast of China.  This species was split into two species. Past records referring to I. ciliatus south of the Philippines are now I. pubescens, although both species occur in the Philippines.  While this species is widespread, it is harvested on a commercial scale.

BLUE BACK LOCUST LOBSTER (Petrarctus brevicomis).  This lobster has a dark blue spot in the median line of the first abdominal segment. There are two distinct teeth in the median line before the cervical groove of the head. The head region between the postrostral and branchial carinnae is smooth. It can reach the size of 4 to 5.5 cm in body length. This lobster inhabits sand or mud at depths of 60 to 150 meters. Aside from Philippines, if is also known to occur in East China Sea, Taiwan and Japan.

BANDED WHIP LOBSTER (Puerulus angulatus).  This lobster has a whip-like antennae. The head has no post orbital spine but there are three or more teeth between the frontal horns and cervical groove. The median keel of the head has three post cervical and two intestinal teeth. The tubercles on the head are distinct and not obscured by pubescence. Eyes are small and longer rather than wide. This species can be found in depths ranging from  274 meters to 536 meters in soft muddy or sandy substrate.  Body length is around 130 mm.  Originated from the Island of Surigao, Philippines.

http://beta.philippine-trivia.com/trivias/animals/trivias-about-the-deep-sea-lobsters-of-the-philippines.html

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/170004/0;  

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/170081/0

 http://www.sealifebase.fisheries.ubc.ca/summary/Remiarctus-bertholdii.html

TOPICAL CATEGORIES

• Marine Life

Articles by Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak

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