Recently, a Red Lobster employee found that one of their lobsters were, ironically, not red at all, but blue! They gave the lobster over to researchers as blue lobsters are extremely rare. What more can we learn about these lobsters?
Physical Description and Behavior
The American Lobster is 8–24 inches (200–610 mm) long and can weigh about 9 pounds (4.08 kg). The heaviest lobster found of this species has weighed 44 pounds (20 kg). They have two urinary bladders on the side of their head that is combined with scents. They shoot the scents 1–2 meters (3 ft 3 in–6 ft 7 in) in front of them whenever they feel a rival or a sexual partner is nearby.
While these lobsters come in red, they can also be found in a variety of different colors; however, these lobsters are extremely rare. The chance of catching a blue lobster is about 1 in 2 million. Other colors include yellow, orange, split-colored, or albino. Albino lobsters (which are often called Crystal Lobsters), are the rarest kind of lobster. Only one can be found in a population of 100 million.
Mating occurs soon after the female has molted. She releases a pheromone to signal to males that she is ready to copulate. The male will then insert a spermatophore, or a packet of sperm, into the female, which she may hold onto for up to 15 months. The female then releases her eggs, which are fertilized by the males stored sperm. They are then attached to the back of the female until they are ready to hatch.
Habitat and Location
The American Lobster is found along the Atlantic shoreline from as far south as North Carolina and as far north as Labrador in Canada. They are mostly found along the coasts of New England and can be found in waters as deep as 365 meters.
Find out more about this lobster by checking out the video below