Sensory and Chemical Ecology Group

Interspecificity of chemical communication between invading American and native European lobsters (funded by NERC)

PIs: Thomas Breithaupt, Joerg D Hardege

In collaboration with:

• Malin Skog, Eric Hallberg (University of Lund, Sweden)
• Gro I. van der Meeren (Institute of Marine Research, Austevoll, Norway)
• Arani Chandrapavan (University of Tasmania, Australia)

The catch of 12 American lobsters (Homarus americanus) since 1999 in Norwegian waters has alarmed ecologists and pinpointed the need for the development of efficient eradication methods like those used in integrated (insect) pest management. The invading lobsters ‘dominate’ the local specimens of Homarus gammarus and can also form infertile offspring through mating with native lobsters.  As a consequence rapid decline in native specimens can occur.

In this study we are examining the species-specific and interspecific significance of pheromones used by H. gammarus and H. americanus in dominance interactions and courtship behaviour and start to characterize their nature. We aim to find out whether European and American lobsters use identical or similar pheromones and whether communication causes exploitation of the European species by invading American lobsters. The project will provide the foundation for the identification of lobster pheromones and their application in the protection of European lobsters against the invading American lobsters.