Cape lobster

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Cape lobster
Cancer capensis Herbst.png
Herbst's 1792 illustration [Note 1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Family: Nephropidae
Genus: Homarinus
Kornfield, Williams & Steneck, 1995  [2]
Species:
H. capensis
Binomial name
Homarinus capensis
(Herbst, 1792)  [3]
Synonyms   [4]
  • Cancer (Astacus) capensisHerbst, 1792
  • Astacus fulvus Fabricius, 1793
  • Homarus fulvus Weber, 1795
  • Astacus capensis Latreille, 1802
  • Cancer (Astacus) fulvus Turton, 1806

The Cape lobster, Homarinus capensis, is a species of small lobster that lives off the coast of South Africa, from Dassen Island to Haga Haga. Only a few dozen specimens are known, mostly regurgitated by reef-dwelling fish. It lives in rocky reefs, and is thought to lay large eggs that have a short larval phase, or that hatch directly as a juvenile. The species grows to a total length of 10 cm (3.9 in), and resembles a small European or American lobster; it was previously included in the same genus, Homarus , although it is not very closely related to those species, and is now considered to form a separate, monotypic genus – Homarinus. Its closest relatives are the genera Thymops and Thymopides .

Contents

Distribution and ecology

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Red pog.svg
Red pog.svg
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Extreme points of the range of Homarinus capensis in South Africa

The Cape lobster is endemic to South Africa. It occurs from Dassen Island, Western Cape in the west to Haga Haga, Eastern Cape in the east, a range of 900 kilometres (560 mi). [5] Most of the known specimens were regurgitated by fish caught on reefs at depths of 20–40 metres (66–131 ft). [5] This suggests that the Cape lobster inhabits rocky substrates, and may explain its apparent rarity, since such areas are not amenable to dredging or trawling, and the species may be too small to be retained by lobster traps. [5]

Description

Homarinus capensis is considerably smaller than the large northern lobsters of the Atlantic Ocean, Homarus gammarus (the European lobster) and Homarus americanus (the American lobster), at 8–10 centimetres (3.1–3.9 in) total length, or 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in) carapace length. [4] [6] Accounts of the colouration of H. capensis are very variable, from tawny, red or yellow to "a rather dark olive", similar to Homarus gammarus. [7]

Homarinus and Homarus are considered to be the most plesiomorphic genera in the family Nephropidae. [8] Nonetheless, the Cape lobster differs from Homarus in a number of characters. The rostrum of the Cape lobster is flattened, while that of Homarus is rounded in section, and curves upwards at the tip. [5] The three pairs of claws [Note 1] are covered with hairs in Homarinus, while those of Homarus are hairless. [4] The telson tapers along its length in Homarus, but has sides which are nearly parallel in Homarinus. [5] Although no egg-bearing females have been collected, the gonopores (openings of the oviducts) of female Cape lobsters are much larger than those of Homarus gammarus and Homarus americanus. [5] This is thought to indicate that Homarinus bears fewer, larger eggs than Homarus, and that either the larvae develop quickly into juveniles after hatching, or that the eggs hatch directly into juveniles. [5] [10]

Taxonomy and evolution

Cape lobsters are elusive and rare, with only fourteen specimens having been collected between 1792 (the date of its first description) and 1992. [7] These include five males in the collections of the South African Museum (Cape Town), two in the Natural History Museum (London), one in each of the East London Museum, the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie (Leiden) and the Albany Museum (Grahamstown), and one male and one female in the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (Paris). [6] In 1992, a Cape lobster was discovered at Dassen Island, and the publicity the find generated resulted in more than 20 additional specimens being reported. [5]

The Cape lobster was first described by Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Herbst in 1792 as Cancer (Astacus) capensis. [9] [11] It was independently described in 1793 by Johan Christian Fabricius as Astacus flavus, possibly based on the same type specimen. [9] When Friedrich Weber erected the genus Homarus in 1795, he included Fabricius' species in it, but this placement was not followed by later authors. [9] The species reached its current classification in 1995, when the monotypic genus Homarinus was erected by Irv Kornfield, Austin B. Williams and Robert S. Steneck. [7]

While analyses of morphology suggest a close relationship between Homarinus and Homarus, molecular analyses using mitochondrial DNA reveal that they are not sister taxa. [8] Both genera lack ornamentation such as spines and carinae, but are thought to have reached that state independently, through convergent evolution. [8] The closest living relative of Homarus is Nephrops norvegicus , while the closest relatives of Homarinus are Thymops and Thymopides . [8]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Herbst reported that the Cape lobster has five pairs of claws, based on an illustration sent to him from Copenhagen. [9] Later authors, including Thomas Roscoe Rede Stebbing, concluded that the illustrator must have made the error. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lobster</span> Family of large marine crustaceans

Lobsters are malacostracans of the family Nephropidae or its synonym Homaridae. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, which are usually much larger than the others. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important and are often one of the most profitable commodities in the coastal areas they populate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American lobster</span> Species of lobster

The American lobster 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, or Maine lobster. 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.

<i>Homarus</i> Genus of lobsters

Homarus is a genus of lobsters, which include the common and commercially significant species Homarus americanus and Homarus gammarus. The Cape lobster, which was formerly in this genus as H. capensis, was moved in 1995 to the new genus Homarinus.

<i>Homarus gammarus</i> Species of lobster

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 (24 in) and a mass of 6 kilograms (13 lb), and bears a conspicuous pair of claws. In life, the lobsters are blue, only becoming "lobster red" on cooking. Mating occurs in the summer, producing eggs which are carried by the females for up to a year before hatching into planktonic larvae. Homarus gammarus is a highly esteemed food, and is widely caught using lobster pots, mostly around the British Isles.

<i>Nephrops</i> Genus of lobsters

Nephrops is a genus of lobsters comprising a single extant species, Nephrops norvegicus, and several fossil species. It was erected by William Elford Leach in 1814, to accommodate N. norvegicus alone, which had previously been placed in genera such as Cancer, Astacus or Homarus. Nephrops means "kidney eye" and refers to the shape of the animal's compound eye.

<i>Metanephrops challengeri</i> Species of crustacean

Metanephrops challengeri is a species of slim, pink lobster that lives around the coast of New Zealand. It is typically 13–18 cm (5–7 in) long and weighs around 100 g (3.5 oz). The carapace and abdomen are smooth, and adults are white with pink and brown markings and a conspicuous pair of long, slim claws. M. challengeri lives in burrows at depths of 140–640 m (460–2,100 ft) in a variety of sediments. Although individuals can live for up to 15 years, the species shows low fecundity, where small numbers of larvae hatch at an advanced stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reef lobster</span> Genus of crustaceans

Reef lobsters, Enoplometopus, are a genus of small lobsters that live on reefs in the Indo-Pacific, Caribbean and warmer parts of the Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Ibacus peronii</i> Species of crustacean

Ibacus peronii, the Balmain bug or butterfly fan lobster, is a species of slipper lobster. It lives in shallow waters around Australia and is the subject of small-scale fishery. It is a flattened, reddish brown animal, up to 23 cm (9 in) long and 14 cm (6 in) wide, with flattened antennae and no claws.

<i>Metanephrops</i> Genus of lobsters

Metanephrops is a genus of lobsters, commonly known as scampi. Important species for fishery include Metanephrops australiensis and Metanephrops challengeri. It differs from other lobsters such as Homarus and Nephrops norvegicus in that its two main claws are of equal size, rather than being differentiated into a crusher and a pincher. There are 18 extant species recognised in the genus:

<i>Thalassina</i> Genus of lobsters

Thalassina is a genus of mud lobsters found in the mangrove swamps of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. Its nocturnal burrowing is important for the recycling of nutrients in the mangrove ecosystem, although it is sometimes considered a pest of fish and prawn farms.

<i>Scyllarides latus</i> Species of crustacean

Scyllarides latus, the Mediterranean slipper lobster, is a species of slipper lobster found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is edible and highly regarded as food, but is now rare over much of its range due to overfishing. Adults may grow to 1 foot (30 cm) long, are camouflaged, and have no claws. They are nocturnal, emerging from caves and other shelters during the night to feed on molluscs. As well as being eaten by humans, S. latus is also preyed upon by a variety of bony fish. Its closest relative is S. herklotsii, which occurs off the Atlantic coast of West Africa; other species of Scyllarides occur in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Indo-Pacific. The larvae and young animals are largely unknown.

<i>Panulirus homarus</i> Species of crustacean

Panulirus homarus is a species of spiny lobster that lives along the coasts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It lives in shallow water, and feeds on the brown mussel Perna perna. It typically grows to a length of 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in). Alongside the dark green nominate subspecies, two red subspecies are recognised, one around the Arabian Peninsula, and one around southern Africa. It is the subject of small-scale fishery.

Scyllarus pygmaeus is a species of slipper lobster that lives in shallow water in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean. It grows to a length of 55 mm (2.2 in), which is too small for it to be fished for food. The juvenile form was first described in 1885, with the description of the adult following in 1888 as a result of the Challenger expedition.

Nephropsis atlantica, sometimes called the scarlet lobsterette or scarlet clawed lobster, is a species of lobster from the Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Neoglyphea</i> Genus of crustaceans

Neoglyphea inopinata is a species of glypheoid lobster, a group thought long extinct before Neoglyphea was discovered. It is a lobster-like animal, up to around 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in length, although without claws. It is only known from 17 specimens, caught at two sites – one at the entrance to Manila Bay in the Philippines, and one in the Timor Sea, north of Australia. Due to the small number of specimens available, little is known about the species, but it appears to live up to five years, with a short larval phase. A second species, previously included in Neoglyphea, is now placed in a separate genus, Laurentaeglyphea.

Nicothoe tumulosa is a species of copepod parasitic on the gills of the glypheoid lobster Neoglyphea inopinata. It was described as a new species in 1976 by Roger F. Cressey. It can be differentiated from related species by the setal formula, and the trunk's covering of small bumps, which give the species its name.

Thymopides is a genus of deep-water lobsters, comprising the two species Thymopides grobovi and Thymopides laurentae.

<i>Palinurus charlestoni</i> Species of crustacean

Palinurus charlestoni is a species of spiny lobster which is endemic to the waters of Cape Verde. It grows to a total length of 50 cm (20 in) and can be distinguished from other Atlantic species in the genus by the pattern of horizontal bands on its legs. It was discovered by French fishermen in 1963, and has been the subject of small-scale fishery since. It is thought to be overexploited, and is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Nephropides caribaeus is a species of lobster, the only species in the genus Nephropides. It is found in western parts of the Caribbean Sea, from Belize to Colombia. It grows to a total length of around 170 mm (6.7 in), and is covered in conspicuous tubercles.

<i>Geryon trispinosus</i> Species of crab

Geryon trispinosus is a species of crab that lives in deep water in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean.

References

  1. ↑ A. Cockcroft; M. Butler; T. Y. Chan; A. MacDiarmid & R. Wahle (2011). "Homarinus capensis". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2011. IUCN: e.T169982A6698791. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T169982A6698791.en . Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "Homarinus Kornfield, Williams and Steneck, 1995". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved June 25, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Homarinus capensis (Herbst, 1792)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved June 25, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Lipke B. Holthuis (1991). Homarus Weber, 1795 (PDF). FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Food and Agriculture Organization. pp. 57–60. ISBN   92-5-103027-8.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)[ permanent dead link ]
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ryusuke Kado; Jiro Kittaka; Yasuhiro Hayakawa & D. E. Pollock (1994). "Recent discoveries of the "rare" species Homarus capensis (Herbst, 1792) on the South African coast". Crustaceana . 67 (1): 71–75. doi:10.1163/156854094x00305. JSTOR   20104967.
  6. 1 2 Torben Wolff (1978). "Maximum size of lobsters (Homarus) (Decapoda, Nephropidae)". Crustaceana . 34 (1): 1–14. doi:10.1163/156854078x00510. JSTOR   20103244.
  7. 1 2 3 Irv Kornfield; Austin B. Williams (1995). "Assignment of Homarus capensis (Herbst, 1792), the Cape lobster of South Africa, to the new genus Homarinus (Decapoda: Nephropidae)" (PDF). Fishery Bulletin . 93: 97–102.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Dale Tshudy; Rafael Robles; Tin-Yam Chan; Ka Chai Ho; Ka Hou Chu; Shane T. Ahyong; Darryl L. Felder (2009). "Phylogeny of marine clawed lobster families Nephropidae Dana, 1852, and Thaumastochelidae Bate, 1888, based on mitochondrial genes". In Joel W. Martin; Keith A. Crandall; Darryl L. Felder (eds.). Decapod Crustacean Phylogenetics. CRC Press. pp. 357–368. doi:10.1201/9781420092592-c18 (inactive 2024-11-11). ISBN   978-1-4200-9258-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 L. B. Holthuis (1986). "J. C. Fabricius' (1798) species of Astacus, with an account of Homarus capensis (Herbst) and Eutrichocheles modestus (Herbst) (Decapoda Macrura)" (PDF). Crustaceana . 50 (3): 243–256. doi:10.1163/156854086X00278.
  10. ↑ Bruce F. Phillips (2006). Lobsters: Biology, Management, Aquaculture and Fisheries. John Wiley & Sons. p. 62. ISBN   978-1-4051-2657-1.
  11. ↑ Tin-Yam Chan (2010). Martyn E. Y. Low; S. H. Tan (eds.). "Annotated checklist of the world's marine lobsters (Crustacea: Decapoda: Astacidea, Glypheidea, Achelata, Polychelida)" (PDF). Zootaxa . Suppl. 23: 153–181. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-16.

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