European lobster
Overview
Homarus gammarus, known as the European lobster or common lobster, is a species of clawed lobster
from the eastern Atlantic Ocean
, Mediterranean Sea
and parts of the Black Sea
. It is closely related to the American lobster
, H. americanus. It may grow to a length of 60 cm (23.6 in) and a mass of 6 kilograms (13.2 lb), and bears a conspicuous pair of claw
s. In life, the lobsters are blue, only becoming "lobster red" on cooking.
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
from the eastern Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and parts of the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. It is closely related to the American lobster
American lobster
The American lobster, Homarus americanus, is a species of lobster found on the Atlantic coast of North America, chiefly from Labrador to New Jersey. Within North America, it is also known as the northern lobster or Maine lobster. It can reach a body length of , and a mass of over , making it the...
, H. americanus. It may grow to a length of 60 cm (23.6 in) and a mass of 6 kilograms (13.2 lb), and bears a conspicuous pair of claw
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger in most mammals, birds, and some reptiles. However, the word "claw" is also often used in reference to an invertebrate. Somewhat similar fine hooked structures are found in arthropods such as beetles and spiders, at the end...
s. In life, the lobsters are blue, only becoming "lobster red" on cooking.
