What is a Moreton Bay bug?

The Moreton Bay bug is a type of crustacean, known elsewhere as the flathead lobster or thenus orientalis. Despite the name, its habitat spreads way beyond Moreton Bay in Queensland.

Moreton Bay Bugs

When seeing a Moreton Bay bug on a restaurant menu, it might seem like some sort of ill-advised bushtucker experiment. Don’t fear – you’ve not inadvertently joined the cast of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here. A Moreton Bay bug is not like a witchetty grub.

What is a Moreton Bay bug also known as?

Moreton Bay bug is the colloquial Australian name for an edible crustacean – officially the thenus orientalis. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, thenus orientalis is preferably known as the flathead lobster. In Australasia, however, it tends to be called a Bay lobster.

The Moreton Bay bug is hardly unique to the Moreton Bay region around Brisbane, Queensland, either.

In Australia, thenus orientalis can be found from around Shark Bay in Western Australia to the northern end of New South Wales. It’s not just something found in Australia, though. Flathead lobsters can be found along the east coast of Africa. They also live in the Persian Gulf, along the Chinese coast and in the south of Japan.

Throw in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, and the Moreton Bay bug is hardly the Australian delicacy some Aussie restaurants make it out to be. Moreton Bay bugs are caught, sold and served elsewhere – they just go under different names. In Singapore, for example, Moreton Bay bugs are often called crayfish on restaurant menus.

What do Moreton Bay bugs taste like?

Only the tail of the flathead lobster is edible. They have an average weight of around 250g, and have a rich, slightly sweet flavour. Moreton Bay bugs generally have a stronger taste than the more familiar rock lobster.

Restaurants serving Moreton Bay bugs include the Lagoon Restaurant in Wollongong, Omeros Bros on the Gold Coast and Crustaceans on the Wharf in Darwin.