A name for the Balmain bug, a type of sand lobster found around the southern coasts of Australia and in some parts of the north west but mainly off the eastern seaboard. Sand lobsters are any of a variety of small crustaceans bearing a resemblance to lobsters and which bury themselves in sand or mud during the day. There are many of them, including bay bug, bay lobster, shovel-nosed lobster and rudder-nosed lobster which is similar to a slipper lobster. Moreton Bay bugs and Balmain bugs are available commercially. Moreton Bay bugs are slightly more triangular than the Balmain bug, which also have their eyes placed very centrally, while those of the Moreton Bay bug are placed right out on the margin of the carapace. They are available at around 25 cm (10") in length. Balmain bugs are said to be sligthly inferior in flavour to Moreton Bay bugs, which are also a little larger in size.
