The chemical basis of food detection in the lobster Homarus gammarus

A synthetic mixture of chemicals, based on the composition of an extract of squid muscle, has been developed, which is highly attractive for the lobster Homarus gammarus (L.). None of the components of this mixture was as attractive as the complete mixture, and substitution of D-amino acids for the natural L-forms also greatly reduced the attractiveness. This would indicate that several different types of chemosensory cell must be simultaneously stimulated to initiate exploratory feeding behaviour, and that a high degree of stereospecificity is involved. The results are discussed in the context of the wide range of food materials known to attract lobsters.