Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Crustacea

Subclass: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Suborder: Pleocyemata

Infraorder: Astacidea

Family: Nephropidae

Scientific name: Homarus gammarus

 

Norwegian: europeisk hummer

(Vingsand - Sør-Trøndelag / 26 metes / 9.22.2002)

Distribution: The European lobster can be found anywhere along the Norwegian coast, as far north as Tysfjord. It is most frequent on depths between 3 and 40 meters. During daytime it hides in crevices or under stones. Under shelter of the dark it dares to take a walk in open landscape in hunt for food.

Characteristics: The largest lobsters can reach a weight of more than 7 kg. The biggest crushing claw ever found was calculated to have been from a lobster that weighed more than 9 kg. The lobster have two different claws. The purpose of the crushing claw is obvious. The other claw is slimmer and sharper and is an excellent weapon in fights with other animals.

The shell is black with a tint of red or blue. Sometimes the lobsters appears to be almost entirely red or blue (pictures below).

All pictures: