Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Crustacea

Subclass: Malacostraca

Order: Decapoda

Suborder: Pleocyemata

Infraorder: Astacidea

 

Norwegian: hummer

(Nautøy - Hordaland / 29 meters / 10.20.2004)

There are originally two species of the infraorder Astacidea in Norwegian waters; the well known European lobster and the smaller Norway lobster. Unfortunately, someone released imported North-American lobster, Homarus Americanus, in the Oslo fjord in 1999. Since then, it has proven viable in Norwegian waters. This poses a serious problem for our European lobster as the two species can mate and produce a hybrid bigger and stronger than the original lobster. However, experiments by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research indicate that the two species do not consider each other as sexual partners. Even so, the North-American lobster may eventually oust its European cousin. Another problem is that the North-American lobster carry a parasite that is 100% lethal for the European lobster.