True Lobsters

Lobsters are malacostracan decapod crustaceans 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.

Commercially important species include two species of Homarus from the northern Atlantic Ocean; the smaller Nephrops norvegicus, known as true scampi, Norway lobster, or langoustine; and multiple small species in the genus Metanephrops, commonly called Pacific scampi.