Daily Patterns of Locomotion Expressed by American Lobsters (Homarus Americanus) in Their Natural Habitat

Home range dynamics of the American lobster,Homarus americanus

“…This is best illustrated by a recent investigation that used a fixed array telemetry system to document the biological rhythms of American lobsters within a large mesocosm. In this study Golet et al (2006) found that lobster movements in their natural habitat are much more complex than expected and that, despite a tendency by the general population to be most active at night, their daily rhythms were quite variable. The work described in this article takes advantage of the same mesocosm and telemetry techniques to investigate lobster home ranges.…”

“…This study took place in a cove just offshore of Newcastle Island, New Hampshire, USA (see Figure 1, Golet et al 2006). The mean depth in this area is 8 m, with an average tidal fluctuation of 3 m. The substrate within the study site consists of two distinct types; sand and fine sediment (75%) and eelgrass beds (25%).…”

“…There was also a ghost trap near the middle of the enclosure that was not removed so that it could serve as an additional shelter. See Golet et al (2006) for further details concerning the design and construction of the mesocosm.…”

“…In addition it: (1) kept the lobsters within the central, highest resolution, area of the tracking system; (2) allowed for the efficient location of lobsters and recovery of transmitters after each tracking period was completed; (3) made it possible to simultaneously track multiple lobsters; and (4) prevented lobsters from interacting with traps, because lobstermen refrained from fishing traps inside the enclosure. Additional benefits and drawbacks of using a mesocosm for a study of this nature are summarized in Golet et al (2006). It should be noted that, while the mesocosm allowed mobile species, such as lobsters, flounders, crabs and striped bass to readily enter, it limited the ability of those that could not swim, to easily leave.…”

Spatial structure of the Caribbean lobster (Metanephrops binghami) in the Colombian Caribbean Sea

“…The great proportions of large-sized individuals of M. binghami in our study reflect the unexploited populations in the study area. Lobsters are described as nocturnal (Golet et al 2006), remaining in shelters during daylight hours, which allows for protection from predators, and emerging from their burrows in the evening. Indeed, it is known that species of genus Metanephrops live in borrows (Tavares 2002).…”