About Homarus gammarus

Homarus gammarus, known as the European lobster, is a species of clawed lobster found in rocky substrate habitats from across the eastern Atlantic Ocean and throughout the Mediterranean Sea [1]. The species is closely related to the American lobster, H.americanus, which it occasionally hybridises with in the wild [2]. It may grow to a length of 60cm (24in) and a mass of 6 kilograms (13lb), and bears a conspicuous pair of claws. In life the lobsters are blue (sometimes dark navy), only becoming "lobster red" on cooking. Mating occurs in the summer, producing eggs which are carried by the females for up to a year before hatching into planktonic larvae. Homarus gammarus is a highly esteemed seafood, and is widely caught using baited lobster pots, mostly around the British Isles and France.

Picture credit: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons (Image source)

Taxonomy ID 6707

(Text adapted from Wikipedia.)

More information General information about this species can be found in Wikipedia

Prepublication data sharing

These data are released under Fort Lauderdale principles, as confirmed in the Toronto Statement [3]. Any use of this dataset must abide by the AquaLeap: Innovation in Genetics and Breeding to Advance UK Aquaculture Production Project data sharing principles. The data producers reserve the right to make the first publication of these data. If you are unsure if you are allowed to publish using this dataset, please contact Dr Eduarda Santos (e.santos@exeter.ac.uk) and Professor Jamie Stevens (j.r.stevens@exeter.ac.uk) to enquire.

Taxonomy ID 6707

Data source University of Exeter; AquaLEAP

More information and statistics