PacBio long-read sequencing of the shell microbiome of apparently healthy American lobsters Homarus americanus from Atlantic Canada

The shell microbial community of lobsters, a key factor in the development of epizootic shell disease (ESD), is still insufficiently researched in Atlantic Canada and many knowledge gaps remain. This study aimed to establish a baseline description and analysis of the shell microbiome of apparently healthy lobsters from four locations in the region. Almost 150 lobster shell swab samples were collected from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (PEI). PacBio long-read 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses in QIIME2 identified the shell-associated bacteria.