Distinguish lobster species Home: lobster
It can be difficult distinguishing American and European lobsters. The colour of the American lobster varies from greenish to brownish-orange. The European lobster is usually black or blue, but it can have more colour variations. This makes colour a difficult trait to use to distinguish between the two species.
The underside of the rostrum (the “beak” on the forehead) on the American lobster usually has one or more spikes, unlike the European lobster where it usually is smooth.
In addition, the two species can crossbreed. The only certain way to distinguish the species is by DNA analysis.
European lobster
American lobster
