Lobsters are a family of large marine crustaceans.
Lobsters are widely fished around the world for their meat. They are often hard to catch in large numbers, but their large size can make them a profitable catch. Although the majority of the targeted species are tropical, the majority of the global catch is in temperate waters.
Nephrops norvegicus, known variously as the Norway lobster, Dublin Bay prawn, langoustine or scampi, is a slim, orange-pink lobster which grows up to 25 cm (10 in) long, and is "the most important commercial crustacean in Europe". It is now the only extant species in the genus Nephrops, after several other species were moved to the closely related genus Metanephrops. It lives in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean, and parts of the Mediterranean Sea, but is absent from the Baltic Sea and Black Sea. Adults emerge from their burrows at night to feed on worms and fish.
Thenus orientalis is a species of slipper lobster from the Indian and Pacific oceans.
Metanephrops japonicus is a species of lobster found in Japanese waters, and a gourmet food in Japanese cuisine. It occurs from Chōshi, Chiba Prefecture (Honshu) to the east coast of Kyushu, where it lives at depths of 200–440 metres (660–1,440 ft). Adults grow to a total length of 9–12 centimetres (3.5–4.7 in), and a carapace length of 3–7 cm (1.2–2.8 in).
Metanephrops binghami, the Caribbean lobster or Caribbean lobsterette, is a lobster which inhabits the western Atlantic region: from the Bahamas and southern Florida to French Guiana, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
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:
The Japanese spiny lobster, Panulirus japonicus, is a member of the genus Panulirus of spiny lobsters. It grows up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long and lives in the Pacific Ocean around Japan, Taiwan, China, and Korea. P. japonicus is the subject of commercial lobster fishery in Japan. It is a popular item in high-class Japanese cuisine. Serving and preparation methods include sashimi, as a steak, frying, and roasting alive.
Metanephrops boschmai, known as the Bight lobster, Bight scampi or Boschma's scampi, is a species of lobster endemic to Western Australia.
Scampi may refer to:
Sagmariasus verreauxi is a species of spiny lobster that lives around northern New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands the Chatham Islands and Australia from Queensland to Tasmania. It is probably the longest decapod crustacean in the world, alongside the American lobster Homarus americanus, growing to lengths of up to 60 centimetres (24 in).
Scyllarides herklotsii is a species of slipper lobster from the Atlantic coast West Africa. It is edible, but is not commercially fished, and is taken only by accident.
Eunephrops manningi, the banded lobster, is a species of lobster found in the West Indies. It was named in 1974 by carcinologist Lipke Holthuis after his friend and fellow carcinologist Raymond B. Manning.
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.
Eunephrops cadenasi, sometimes called the sculptured lobster, is a species of lobster found in the Caribbean.
Parribacus antarcticus is a species of slipper lobster. Its common names include "sculptured mitten lobster" and "sculptured slipper lobster" in English, and ula-pehu and ula-pápapa in Hawaiian.
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.
Ibacus ciliatus is a species of slipper lobster from the north-west Pacific Ocean.
Metanephrops mozambicus is a species of lobster that lives around south-east of Madagascar. Previously considered to be part of the species Metanephrops andamanicus, they were re-classified as a unique species in 1990. The species is commercially trawled.
Panulirus penicillatus is a species of spiny lobster that lives on shallow rocky and coral reefs in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Common names for this spiny lobster include variegated crayfish, tufted spiny lobster, spiny lobster, Socorro spiny lobster, red lobster, pronghorn spiny lobster, golden rock lobster, double spined rock lobster and coral cray. It has a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
