Metanephrops boschmai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Metanephrops boschmai |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The Bight lobster, also called Bight scampi or Boschma's scampi, is a type of lobster. Its scientific name is Metanephrops boschmai. This special lobster is only found in Western Australia.
Where Does the Bight Lobster Live?
M. boschmai lives along the west coast of Australia. You can find it from Port Hedland in the north down to Eucla in the south. These lobsters live in very deep water, usually between 300 and 460 meters (about 980 to 1,500 feet) below the surface. They like to live on muddy ground, sometimes where there are also small rocks.
What Does the Bight Lobster Look Like?
The Bight lobster can grow to be about 18 centimeters (7 inches) long from head to tail. Its hard shell, called a carapace, is usually between 3 and 5 centimeters (1.2 to 2 inches) long.
How Did the Bight Lobster Get Its Name?
The Bight lobster was first named in 1964 by a scientist named Lipke Holthuis. He first called it Nephrops boschmai. The "boschmai" part of its name honors Hilbrand Boschma. He was a director of a museum and a researcher. The first examples of this lobster that scientists studied, called "type specimens," came from the Great Australian Bight near Eucla, Western Australia. These special lobsters are now kept at the Australian Museum in Sydney. Other examples are also kept in museums in Washington, D.C. and Leiden.
