Homarus americanus

(Milne Edwards, 1837)

Vernacular names
English : American lobster
French : Homard américain

Classification
Class : Malacostraca
Order : Decapoda
Family : Nephropidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Heaviest living arthropod species, reaching a body length of 64 cm and a weight of 20 kg. Huge and powerful asymetric claws. Coloration variable, from reddish-brown or orange to greenish. Claw spines are red-tipped.

Range and habitat
This species occurs in the north-west Atlantic Ocean, from Labrador (Canada) to North Carolina (USA). Lives in cold and shallow waters, mostly in rocky areas, down to 480 meters.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not listed
Status : The species is still fairly common in the wild, especially in northern parts of range. Declines noted in south parts because of water warming.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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