Invertebrates
Norway Lobster
Nephrops norvegicus · also called langoustine, Dublin Bay prawn
From a burrow in the soft mud off Scotland, a Norway lobster peers out with black kidney-shaped eyes as dusk falls, ready to forage.
Overview
The Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus, is a Least Concern burrowing lobster of muddy seabeds across the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Its orange-pink body, nocturnal habits, and importance as the source of scampi make it one of the most valuable shellfish in Europe.
A lobster of the mud
Where other lobsters live in rocky crevices, the Norway lobster digs its own burrow in soft mud, and the catch rises and falls with how many of the animals are out feeding.
Status
Least Concern, though individual stocks are managed with quotas.
Norway Lobster: common questions
Is the Norway lobster the same as scampi?
Scampi is the name for the tails of the Norway lobster, which is also sold whole as langoustine.
Why is it called a Dublin Bay prawn?
The name comes from the fishery in Dublin Bay, though the animal is a small lobster, not a prawn.
Where does the Norway lobster live?
It lives in burrows in soft mud on the seabed, from the shallows to hundreds of metres deep.
When is the Norway lobster active?
It comes out of its burrow around dusk and at night to feed on worms, small crustaceans, and carrion.