Scientific name: Panulirus Ornatus
Commercial names: Tropical Rock Lobster, Coral Crayfish, Rock Crayfish, Ornate lobsters, Painted lobsters, Scalloped lobsters.
Distribution:
The Australian Tropical Rock Lobster is highly prized for its beautiful bright colours and delicious white meat. They dwell in the bottom of medium to shallow waters amongst coral reefs of north eastern Australia and in the Torres Straits of Australia’s northernmost point. Tropical Rock Lobsters are caught from December to September. From October to November lobster fishing is closed, allowing the lobster population to rejuvenate. Tropical Rock Lobsters rarely get into cages or take bait-traps so they can only be caught by hand in the wild by our divers.
When raw, the shell is coloured from shades of Jade and black on the tail to turquoise and purple on the head. When cooked, the shell becomes an orange colour. With the taste, it is delicious whether it’s steamed, stir-fried or grilled. The lobster’s flesh is firm, with a sweet medium and rich taste; it retains its shape in most styles of cooking. While it’s raw, the flesh is translucent and tender, which is considered the best lobster for sashimi, plus the beautiful colours of the shells will surely wow diners.