American lobster

American Lobster
Temporal range: Pleistocene–Recent
↓
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Family: Nephropidae
Genus: Homarus
Species:
H. americanus
Binomial name
Homarus americanus
Natural range of H. americanus (blue)
Synonyms[2]
  • Astacus marinus Say, 1817 (non Fabricius, 1775)
  • Astacus americanus Stebbing, 1893
  • Homarus mainensis Berrill, 1956

The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is a species of lobster found on the Atlantic coast of North America, chiefly from Labrador to New Jersey. It is also known as Atlantic lobster, Canadian lobster, true lobster, northern lobster, Canadian Reds,[3] or Maine lobster.[4][5] It can reach a body length of 64 cm (25 in), and a mass of over 20 kilograms (44 lb), making it not only the heaviest crustacean in the world, but also the heaviest of all living arthropod species. Its closest relative is the European lobster Homarus gammarus, which can be distinguished by its coloration and the lack of spines on the underside of the rostrum. American lobsters are usually bluish green to brown with red spines, but several color variations have been observed.

  1. ^ Wahle, R.; Butler, M.; Cockcroft, A.; MacDiarmid, A. (2011). "Homarus americanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T170009A6705155. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T170009A6705155.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Lipke B. Holthuis (1991). "Homarus americanus". FAO Species Catalogue, Volume 13. Marine Lobsters of the World. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Food and Agriculture Organization. p. 58. ISBN 92-5-103027-8. Archived from the original on 2011-06-08.
  3. ^ "Lobster Biology – Lobster Council of Canada". Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2016-07-06.
  4. ^ "Common names for northern lobster (Homarus americanus)". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  5. ^ Chan, T. (2014). "Homarus americanus H. Milne Edwards, 1836". World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Retrieved May 16, 2014.