Growth and Moulting in the Common Lobster(Homarus VulgarisMilne-Edwards)

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Abstract
Data collected over a period of 15 years for lobsters maintained at 10 °C and weighingfrom < 1·0 to 1200 g have been analysed. Equations have been produced defining the relationships of the cast shell weight, the growth increment at the moult, the inter-moult period and the food intake per moult with the weight of the lobster, and of the growth increment with the food intake. In particular, a growth curve has been derived showing the weight of lobsters, kept at 10 °C, with age. It is suggested that when there is an adequate food supply, the growth increment is a constant proportion of the lobster weight, and that variations in growth rate are achieved by changes in the length of the inter-moult period which, in turn, is mainly dependent upon the temperature of the environment.