Frequently Asked Questions

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Cooking & Eating Cooking & Eating (26)
Facts Facts (22)
Habitat Habitat (14)
  • Why do lobsters die in Freshwater? Why can they only live in Saltwater?

    • Answer:
    All animal's are specially adapted to live and thrive in their own particular environments.  In the case of the American lobster, this is salt water.  Some animals can live in salt or fresh water depending on their life stage e.g., young salmon grow up in freshwater streams but then have to undergo marked changes in their physiology in order to live in the ocean environment.  Lobsters can not do that; however, lobsters can survive out of water for over 72 hours if they are in a cool and moist environment!
  • What type of bottom material do lobsters prefer??

    • Answer:
    Lobsters prefer rocky bottoms with lots of algae. This gives them lots of places to hide and the algae attracts much of the food they would eat. They can also be found in sandy or muddy bottom locations but this is not preferred as it provides little shelter from predators.
  • What temperature do Homarus americanus live at?

    • Answer:
    Optimum temperature for lobster is from about 3-10 degrees Celsius but they can survive in water ranging from minus one too plus thirty degrees Celsius.
  • I was wandering if you could keep a Maine lobster as a pet. in a salt water tank.

    • Answer:
    Yes, you can.  Just need to consider some basic water quality parameters, diet, and moult....
  • What range of salinity is safe for our lobsters??

    • Answer:

    Salinity range- 29-35ppt normally. As low as 11 in cold water and upper tolerance of 45ppt

  • Hi, I live in New Jersey. We live on a fresh water lake. I was working on my dock and saw what looked like a small lobster in the shallows. It was about 3-4 inches in length and appeared to ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    Hi, I live in New Jersey. We live on a fresh water lake. I was working on my dock and saw what looked like a small lobster in the shallows. It was about 3-4 inches in length and appeared to have at least one large claw. It was larger than crawfish that I have seen. Could this be a fresh water lobster or something else?

    Answer:

    What you are describing is a crayfish (or crawfish, depending where you're from). Crayfish are more or less the freshwater equivalent of lobsters and are found just about anywhere in the world. Although they normally do not grow as large as “saltwater” lobsters there is a species in Tasmania called the Giant Freshwater Lobster (Astacapsis gouldi) which can grow up to 1 metre in length. It is one of the largest freshwater invertebrates in the world and is only found in rivers of northern Tasmania.

  • What's the lobsters role in the ecosystem?

    • Answer:

    This is definitely a “big picture” question and may be beyond on the scope of a simple answer. However, the lobster plays an integral part in the ecosystem by contributing as a filter feeder during it’s planktonic stage and as an opportunist/predator during it’s benthic stage. The lobster also contributes as a food source for many species in the marine environment as well as a food source for humans. Therefore, the lobster’s role in the ecosystem is quite broad and depends on how you want to look at it.

  • Is water pollution a major problem for lobster life? If so, how?

    • Answer:

    Unlike mussels, oysters and clams, lobsters are not "filter feeders." They do not pump sea water and any pollution that the water might carry through their bodies. They do however; eat animals that are filter feeders so they could accumulate some toxins from them. Water pollution can take many forms, and one of them occurs when many bacteria are growing at the bottom of the ocean. These bacteria can use up a lot of the oxygen present in the water, thus reducing the amount of oxygen available for lobsters to survive. Also, lobster larvae can be very susceptible to different toxins present at the surface of the water, as the larvae will remain at the surface for approximately 1 month after they hatch, before heading to the bottom of the ocean, where they will stay for the remainder of their life. Although lobsters can seem very hardy and tolerant of many environment conditions, they can suffer from bad water quality and water pollution like most aquatic animals.

  • Will a 6lb female lobster & a 6lb male lobster get along in an aquarium, approx. 4 feet long by 20" wide? Do lobsters in captivity have to go through the molting process or can they be kept at a ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    Will a 6lb female lobster & a 6lb male lobster get along in an aquarium, approx. 4 feet long by 20" wide? Do lobsters in captivity have to go through the molting process or can they be kept at a certain temperature in order to live?

    Answer:

    A rule of thumb used by industry is 1-2 gallon of water (4-8 L) per lb of lobster. So in this case, you would need to have at least 12 gallons. Another rule of thumb used in the industry for holding live lobster is 1 square-foot of bottom space per lb of lobster. In this case, you would need 12 square-ft. I'm not sure if your tank would be adequate to hold two very large lobsters, even if the water exchange was high enough to support live (high dissolved O2 and low metabolic wastes). Lobsters can survive very long without a need to molting if their metabolism is slowed down (cold environment, limited diet). But even when some of the environmental cues are controlled for, they may still molt simply due to the increase photoperiod in the summer.

  • Can a lobster be kept alive in fresh water with ice?

    • Answer:

    No. Fresh water is lethal to a lobster. The animal has salty blood and tissue, which require a seawater environment for survival.

  • How long can a lobster live out of water?

    • Answer:

    Several days if kept in a cool, moist environment. The lobster is a gill-breather, and moisture is essential to survival.

  • Where do lobsters live?

    • Answer:

    Small lobsters, less than 25mm carapace length (CL), hide in and about sea weeds and rocky habitat that provide adequate food and shelter from predators. Adolescent lobsters 37mm to 60mm CL dominate coastal habitats and offshore areas. They may exhibit minimal migratory behavior. Larger, more mobile, adult lobsters may inhabit deeper waters and may return seasonally to shallow warmer waters.

  • Where are lobsters caught?

    • Answer:

    The American Lobster is found on the east coast of North America, from Newfoundland to North Carolina. In 2003, more than 52,000 metric tonnes of lobsters were landed in Canada. In comparison, 32,000 metric tonnes were landed in the USA in 2003, and 78% of these landings were in Maine.

  • What do Lobsters Eat?

    • Answer:

    While the lobster has been called a scavenger, it actually prefers fresh food, though a whiff of lobster bait might belie that fact. Its diet typically consists of crabs, clams, mussels, worms, and an occasional sea urchin or slow-witted flounder, and will vary depending on what type of prey is available. A lobster may eat up to 100 different kinds of animals, and occasionally eat some plants as well. An opportunist, a lobster will also eat another lobster if given the chance. Captive lobsters become especially cannibalistic, which is why they must be banded or separated in individual compartments in a lobster pound. However, cannibalism has not been observed in the wild. Because lobsters eat their molts, it is dangerous to make this inference based on gut content analysis.

Harvesting/Traps/Bait Harvesting/Traps/Bait (14)
  • The old wooden lobster traps, Nova Scotia south shore, had wooden"bows" on each end and usually two between. The bows ends were inserted into holes in a flat piece on the bottom of the trap. We are trying ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    The old wooden lobster traps, Nova Scotia south shore, had wooden"bows" on each end and usually two between. The bows ends were inserted into holes in a flat piece on the bottom of the trap. We are trying to find the name of this flat piece across the bottom. Thanks for any response.

    Answer:
    This flat piece across the bottom is known as a 'Sill"
  • How many days should you leave a pot down for?

    • Answer:

    In Canada, most fishermen use 1-2 soak days.  In the USA, it can be more like 1-7 days.  It depends on the number of traps, size of efficiency of the boat, and of course, density of lobsters at the bottom.

  • What are the best live baits you can use in a lobster pot? It is my first time putting down my pots.

    • Answer:
    There is really no best bait.  Bait preference is mostly fisherman-based, and not lobster-based! We recommend that you try different baits and to avoid location biases you should try different baits fishing in adjacent pots.
  • Why is lobster packed in a can and then frozen? Does it go through the regular canning heating process?

    • Answer:

    Lobster meat does not go through the thermal processing which makes it sterile and shelf stable, therefore it is still a fresh product that must be frozen for preservation.

  • My father is a lobster fisherman out of LFA 26A. In recent years the lobster stocks have been on a decline in our area and a rise in LFA 24. My dad fishes out of Souris and used to be ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    My father is a lobster fisherman out of LFA 26A. In recent years the lobster stocks have been on a decline in our area and a rise in LFA 24. My dad fishes out of Souris and used to be able to catch 2500-3000 pounds but now can't do that, while North Lake fishermen who are just up the shore and around East Point can land 2500-3000. My question is what is your reasoning on the lobster decline and do you think the lobsters will return to Souris and surrounding ports?A

    Answer:

    Unfortunately, the AVC Lobster Science Centre doesn't study lobster stock abundance or decline as this is more of the Federal Department of Fisheries & Oceans' mandate. Historical landings show that lobster stocks have always fluctuated over time. Hopefully, science and in particular information on lobster recruitment and from tagging studies will be able to follow lobster stocks in the wild and perhaps help predicting any further decline or return to more abundant levels.

  • Where do the lobsters's go once they are caught and are going to be eaten? What process do they go through?

    • Answer:

    On average, nearly half of the Canadian landings are transformed into processed products, while the rest are destined to be sold alive. Most often, fishers will sell their daily catch to buyers situated at the wharves. These buyers can be independent dealers or representatives of other seafood companies. The buyers will either transport the live lobsters directly to the processing plant or to a holding facility; this transfer usually occurs within one to five days post-capture. If it is decided to keep the lobsters for a few days, they will either be kept in wooden crates and floated directly at the wharf, or stored in ‘lobster cars’, which are large floating boxes also located at the wharf. Lobsters can either be loose in the cars, or stored in crates within the lobster car. To supply the market with a live product year-round, some of the processing plants and holding facilities will keep a proportion of live lobsters in captivity for various periods, ranging from a few days to several months.

  • How long should lobsters be kept in quarentine when moving between different bodies of water such as the Atlantic and Bras d'Or Lakes? (from Atlantic to Bras d'Or)

    • Answer:

    We are not sure if quarantine is even required although one of our scientists had to get an authorization to bring in lobsters from PEI to NS for his experiment. If permits/quarantines are needed, then you should probably start by contacting Roland Cusak, provincial fish vet in NS and see what the province has in place for regulation.

  • What is the deepest water you can find lobster in the Atlantic Ocean? If Lobsters are found at 2000 fathoms can they be retrieved alive using pots? I worked on a research vessel where we have a camera station and ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    What is the deepest water you can find lobster in the Atlantic Ocean? If Lobsters are found at 2000 fathoms can they be retrieved alive using pots? I worked on a research vessel where we have a camera station and took pictures of lobsters located at 2000 fathoms.

    Answer:

    2000 fathoms is well outside our practical experience with harvesting lobsters. This represents 3,657 meters, or roughly 366 atmospheres of pressure. That would be a very long trap line! I suspect that lobsters could be harvested from this debth as long as they are pulled up through the decreasing pressure at a certain rate to allow for acclimation at the decreased pressures. Lobsters do not have air bladders like many fish that need them for buoyancy, so the effects of decreased pressure would be due to the changes in the dissolved gases in their blood as they are depressurized during the ascent. If pulled up through the depths at a slow enough rates to keep gas bubbles from forming in the lobster’s blood, I see no reason why lobsters which were extracted from 2000 fathoms should not be able to survive at the sea surface. However, one must be able to calculate the rate at which you can pull lobsters up from that depth first. This is speculation on my part. You may want to speak to someone who has more experience and knowledge with blood gas saturations at varying depths and pressures.

  • What are the parts of a lobster trap?

    • Answer:
    • Traps or pots were originally make of wood, typically oak. Wire mesh traps have replaced the wooden traps for the most part. Lobster enter through the net "door" to go after the bait in a bait bag placed in the "kitchen". When it tries to exit it lands in the "parlor". Some traps have more than one kitchen and parlor. Traps are required to have an escape vent that is large enough to let all but the legal size lobsters escape. Traps also are equipped with runners that help prevent legs, claws and antennae from being pinched between the bottom of the trap and the boat when the traps are hauled.

    Click the image below for a larger picture

    Lobster Trap 

     

  • Why aren't more lobsters raised through aquaculture?

    • Answer:

    Many sea creatures, including salmon, oysters, and mussels, are raised successfully through sea farming or aquaculture. Since lobsters command such a high price at the market, you would think there would be massive aquaculture operations to raise them. Lobsters are not easy to raise in captivity, and as yet no one has made a profit from it. Experiments have been conducted for years trying to find an economic way to raise them without much success. Two problems repeatedly crop up: Lobsters in close quarters will eat each other. When lobsters are raised in captivity, they are kept in large vats as larvae. Whirlpool currents keep the baby lobsters spinning beyond each other's reach. When they settle to the bottom, they must be kept in individual pens and moved to ever larger enclosures as they grow. Lobsters grow very slowly, taking an average of 5-7 years to reach market size. That's a long time to feed and maintain them. They can grow faster in warmer water, but it still takes several years to reach market size. Factor in food costs (lobsters can be picky eaters in captivity), heating the water to make them grow faster, and treating disease, and it's easy to see why raising a lobster to adulthood is expensive. Another approach to lobster aquaculture has been to keep them captive only from egg to hatching to the fourth or fifth stages when they start to settle to the bottom. Hatchery operators then free the baby lobsters into the ocean and hope that they survive long enough to join the lobster fishery as market-size catch.

  • What are some of the more unusual types of bait tried?

    • Answer:

    After WW II, the LobLure Corporation tried to find a fool-proof type of artificial bait. Some of their unusual concoctions ranged from a bait bag that blinked like an electric light to cloth soaked in fish oil, pepsi-cola can or white coffee mugs. For more information please see this Lobster Bait Fact Sheet.

  • Is it possible to raise lobsters on a commercial basis?

    • Answer:

    Not yet, but research is underway to develop rearing techniques and to assess the economic feasibility of rearing the American lobster commercially. In the opinion of many scientists working with the American lobster, commercial aquaculture can be achieved in the near future with a sufficient level of effort. Future projections for the culture of the spiny lobster (found in the Carribean, California, Florida, Australia and South Africa) are not, however, optimistic. Unlike the American lobster which has a relatively short larval life (several weeks), the spiny lobster has a larval life of about six or seven months. The technical difficulties presented by the fragile, demanding requirements of the early life stages discount the use of traditional hatchery methods with any degree of success or practicality.

  • Can you tell how old a lobster is?

    • Answer:

    It is difficult to tell the exact age of a lobster because it sheds it shell regularly, removing most of the evidence of age. It is believed that a 1/2 kg lobster is between 5 and 7 years old. The warmer the ocean temperatures, the more often lobsters molt and increase in size.

  • Where are lobsters harvested?

    • Answer:

    The North American Lobster is harvested from a wild resource in the ocean waters along the northeast Atlantic Coast of Canada and the United States, from Newfoundland to North Carolina.

Life Cycle & Reproduction Life Cycle & Reproduction (20)
  • Describe the methods of captive breeding used for lobster and what are the results?

    • Answer:
    Unfortunately, we are not involved in breeding lobster and therefore, we have no expertise in that field.  You can contact a lobster hatchery such as Homarus (martin@mfu-upm.com) , the Zone C hatchery in Maine (www.penobscoteast.org/lobster_hatchery.asp) or even the National Lobster Hatchery (www.nationallobsterhatchery.co.uk).
  • Can lobsters be raised in hatcheries?

    • Answer:
    Yes lobster can be raised in a hatchery.  Homarus Inc.  http://www.homarus.ca/ would be a good site to look at.
  • my pet red lobster has just molted. he lost an arm in the process but the other arm is still attached but looks dead. should I remove the dead looking arm?

    • Answer:
    I would assume by pet red lobster, that you are referring to a freshwater crayfish here.  I can only assume that the lost 'arm' will eventually grow back if the crayfish is healthy.  As for the dead looking appendage, I would also think that it should eventually fall off on its own (if truly 'dead') and then grow back.  I'm not sure if I would pull it off on purpose or not.
  • Is a lobster that contains a reduced amount of meat within the shell pre or post molt?

    • Answer:
    It is post-molt. This occurs because after a lobster molts there is a larger quantity of water inside them. When they are cooked this water is evaporated and therefore makes the meat appear shrivelled up.
  • You explained how the lobster molts, but I am puzzled how they would be able to get their claws out of their old shells which can be extremely thick compared to their back side.

    • Answer:

    As lobsters get closer to the molt, they dehydrate themselves and a proportion of their blood is withdrawn from the appendages, including the claws, to make them smaller. It is reported that a 30 to 60% loss of tissue mass occurs in the claws, facilitating the withdrawal of the large portion of the claw through the smaller upper leg portion through which it must pass.

  • I have an crayfish as a pet and on October 22, 2005 it molted. I understand that they stop eating a few days before molting, but my crayfish will not eat after it molted, I mean its stays in the ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    I have an crayfish as a pet and on October 22, 2005 it molted. I understand that they stop eating a few days before molting, but my crayfish will not eat after it molted, I mean its stays in the corner. Is this normal? I have feed it shrimp pellets but it will not even eat this so I am wondering do they stop eating for a few days after they molt because they are weak?

    Answer:

    When lobsters, and I would anticipate crayfish too, molt they will usually hide for a few days as a survival mechanism. But to make sure the growth is maximized with each molt, the crayfish must have proper nutrition soon after the molt. And apparently, it is not uncommon for them to eat their old shell in an attempt to gain back as much minerals as possible that was lost in the old carapace. I would think that once the crayfish has regained enough strength in its new shell, it will start foraging again. Therefore, I would continue to offer food, while making sure not to overwhelm the filter with too much uneaten food in tank which could result in deteriorating water quality.

  • Can you tell me how a lobster acquires its food? and can you tell me the parental care of a lobster?

    • Answer:

    While the American lobster has been called a scavenger, it actually prefers fresh food, though a whiff of lobster bait might belie that fact. Its diet typically consists of crabs, clams, mussels, worms, and an occasional sea urchin or slow-witted flounder, and will very depending on what type of prey is available. A lobster may eat up to 100 different kinds of animals, and occasionally eat some plants as well. An opportunist, a lobster will also eat another lobster if given the chance. Captive lobsters become especially cannibalistic, which is why they must be banded or separated in individual compartments in a lobster pound. However, cannibalism has not been observed in the wild. Because lobsters eat their molts, it is dangerous to make this inference based on gut content analysis. The female lobster carries the eggs inside for 9 to 12 months and then for another 9 to 12 months externally attached to the swimmerettes under her tail. (Berried females carry thousands of eggs attached to their swimmerettes.) Depending on water temperatures, the eggs will remain attached for about a year on average. When the eggs hatch, the larvae will float near the surface for 4 to 6 weeks. The few that survive will settle to the bottom and continue to develop as baby lobsters. From every 50,000 eggs only 2 lobsters are expected to survive to legal size.

  • Is it true that lobsters have one mate for life? If so do you know where I can obtain this information to be printed out?

    • Answer:

    In contrast to many crustaceans, lobsters are long lived and over the course of a lifetime, a female will mate with one male per breeding season. This does not mean that she will mate with the same male as the female will choose the most dominant male each time she chooses to mate.

  • When do lobster females (average carapace length) stop being reproductively active? How important are large males to large females during mating?

    • Answer:

    As far as I know, I don't believe lobsters eventually reach a 'no-longer-reproductive' stage. Just like they don't have a terminal molt (after which they never molt again). I could be wrong, but I have never seen any paper about reaching a non-sexual status. Large male lobsters are important as female lobsters will only mate with males who are as large or larger then they are.

  • A client of mine has a lobster (not sure what type!) with "eggs on the underside". Does the male look after the eggs? Will the owners have a tank full of baby lobsters?

    • Answer:

    It is unlikely that your client has an American lobster, which is the species that the AVC Lobster Science Centre has expertise in. However, I would expect that the same goes for the European or Norwegian lobsters. The extruded eggs are cared for only by the female lobster; the care consists mostly of physical protection and insuring adequate oxygenation by beating the pleopods where the eggs are attached, thus increasing the water flow around the eggs. Neither female nor male lobsters look after the ‘babies’ once they’re hatched. In the American lobster, the extruded eggs will stay attached to the ventral surface of the tail for several months, sometime as long as 11 months. I would expect that your client will likely have a few (1000’s) babies if the eggs are fertilized, viable and the conditions are right for the female to release them. I am unsure on the likelihood of survival though; newly hatched lobster larvae will go up the water column and stay at/near the surface for a few weeks before heading back down to seek shelter. If larvae and the adult lobster are in the same tank, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a certain degree of cannibalism.

  • What is the evolutionary pattern of the common lobster? When did they evolve and from what type of species? What conditions have made the lobster change into the way that it is now from its start(as far as physical and ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    What is the evolutionary pattern of the common lobster? When did they evolve and from what type of species? What conditions have made the lobster change into the way that it is now from its start(as far as physical and possibly mental conditions in which the change has been benificial to the species darwins teachings of "survival of the fittest"-due to the change)?

    Answer:

    Not a lot is known in terms of how lobsters have evolved thru the years. Actually, clawed lobsters have received little or no attention with regard to diversity through time. According to classical Darwinian Theory of evolution, physical traits are inherited through genetics. However, scientists believe for example, that the development of one of the two lobster claws into a much bigger and stronger 'crusher' claw is likely determined by the environment and not genetics (baby lobsters have equal sized caws). Perhaps the modification of the first pair of legs into the highly specialized claws found on the American lobster compared to the clawless spiny and rock lobsters is also due to the environment and not genetics? As for mental evolution, ???... A review paper on lobster evolution thru time was recently published: Tshudy D. 2003. Clawed lobster (Nephropidae) diversity across the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. J of Crustacean Biology 23(1): 178-86.

  • If a female lobster for some reason was mutated and did not have any swimmerets how would the eggs be fertilized? Is there another way or would the lobster be unable to reproduce? What are common contaminants that are present ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    If a female lobster for some reason was mutated and did not have any swimmerets how would the eggs be fertilized? Is there another way or would the lobster be unable to reproduce? What are common contaminants that are present in lobster habitats that could cause the lobster to become mutated in any way? What are the resulted mutations? In what way do they affect their daily lives?

    Answer:

    First of all, I have never seen or heard of mutated lobsters. One could hypothesize that perhaps some of the common mutagenic or teratogenic compounds, drugs and chemicals could cause malformation of the lobster larvae? Usually, there must be exposure to a teratogenic or mutagenic agent during the actual formation of an organ to have a gross defect involving the organ undergoing formation at that time. Since organ formation only starts once the eggs are extruded and fertilized, can there still be substantial exposure to detrimental agents? I don't know. I don't know if a female lobster with deformed or no swimmeret could successfully reproduce. The swimmerets are not directly involved in the egg fertilization process. However, they are necessary as they contain glands that produce the 'glue' needed to attached the fertilized eggs on the ventral surface of the female lobster's tail. Without that adhesive or cement, the eggs would be lost and perhaps end up in less than optimum conditions resulting in their death.

  • Why do lobstermen release a berried female?

    • Answer:
    • Because the "berries" are the eggs and females with eggs are released so that the eggs can hatch. The eggs spend at least ten months on the female. The colder the water, the longer the eggs take to hatch.

     Click the image below for a larger picture

    Berried Female

     

  • I've heard that lobsters molt, but I've never seen a cast-off shell. Why?

    • Answer:

    After molting, lobsters will eat voraciously, often devouring their own recently vacated shells. This replenishment of lost calcium hastens the hardening of the new shell which takes about 14-30 days from the actual loss of the old shell.

  • Do many young lobsters survive to old age?

    • Answer:

    Lobster babies swim at the water surface for 25 days. Only one percent make it to the bottom. These young lobsters shed their shells about ten times in their first year. A near-shore lobster has a 65 - 90% chance of ending up on someone's dinner plate.

  • Do lobsters lay eggs?

    • Answer:
    • A freshly laid lobster egg is the size of the head of a pin (1.5mm). A 1/2kg female lobster usually carries approximately 8000 eggs. A 4kg female may carry more than 100,000 eggs. The female lobster carries the eggs inside for 9 to 12 months and then for another 9 to 12 months externally attached to the swimmerettes under her tail. When the eggs hatch, the larvae will float near the surface for 4 to 6 weeks. The few that survive will settle to the bottom and continue to develop as baby lobsters. From every 50,000 eggs only 2 lobsters are expected to survive to legal size.

    Click the image below for a larger picture

    Life Cycle

     

  • When do lobsters mate?

    • Answer:

    A female lobster mates when she is in the soft-shell state right after she has molted. Female lobsters can carry live sperm for up to two years. At any time she may decide to fertilize her 3,000-75,000 eggs. By law, a female lobster carrying eggs must be thrown back if it is caught.

  • Do lobster larva molt?

    • Answer:

    Lobster embryo will molt about six times while still in the egg. After they are released from the mother's swimmerettes and hatch, the larva will float freely in the water column and molt several more times before taking the form that we recognize as a lobster. At this point they may be only 6mm in length.

  • What is a "berried" female?

    • Answer:

    Berried females carry thousands of eggs attached to their swimmerettes. Depending on water temperatures, the eggs will remain attached for about a year on average. Only 0.1% of the prelarva will survive over six weeks after being released at hatching.

    Click the image below for a larger picture

    Berried Female

     

  • How do lobsters grow?

    • Answer:

    Lobsters grow by molting or shedding their shell. They secrete enzymes that soften the shell and connective shell joints. The shell splits up the back and the creature backs out leaving it behind...including the membrane that covered the eyes. By the time a lobster is of legal size (approximately 5 - 7 years), it will have molted about 20-25 times, averaging 4-5 molts a year. As they get older they molt only once a year to once every two years. At each molt, lobsters increase in length by 15% and increase in volume by 50%. After a molt the animal is vulnerable because the new shell is very soft. It will hide among the rocks on the bottom for 6-8 weeks until its shell hardens enough to offer some protection.

Lobster Anatomy Lobster Anatomy (29)
  • How long can an electric blue lobster live without water?

    • Answer:
    A lobster can live for approximately 48 hours without water.  Ensure that the lobster is kept cool and moist at all times when it is not in the water.
  • I purchased a Canadian live lobster about 1.8 lbs. It is a dark brown. Is that normal?

    • Answer:
    Most lobsters are colored a mottled, dark greenish brown, but lobsters can also be found blue or yellow but these lobsters are very rare.
  • what are the functions of the lobster brain?

    • Answer:
    The brain (supra-esophageal ganglion) is part of the lobster's central nervous system, which is composed of fifteen midline ganglia (groups of nerve cells).  The brain receives primary visual (sight) information and olfactory (smell) information via the first pair of antennae and mechano-sensory (touch) information via the second pair of antennae.  In general, the other ganglia are devoted to local control or functions within the segment where each ganglion resides.  Overall, the central nervous system allows the lobster to react to its surroundings and control bodily functions. 
  • Is it possible to get a urine sample from lobsters?

    • Answer:
    It is possible to collect urine from lobsters and has been done in some studies.  Generally, tubing is placed over the urinary pores under the antennae with a sealant between the tubing and the carapace.  Urine is then collected into whatever type of 'bag' or container is suitable for the study.
  • How does a lobster know which way is up? I'm told it has a sphere with particles in it and whose inner wall is lined with sensing cilia.

    • Answer:
    Lobsters contain an organ call the Statocysts (organ for orientation and equilibrium) which is located at the base of its antennules.  They are composed of 400-500 hairs which project into the statolith (sand granes cemented together).  When the lobster shifts its orientation the fluid in the statocysts moves the hairs in a particular direction relative to the satolith.  This movement stimulates some hairs more than others and gives the lobster its sense of direction and movement.  This organ is also used by the lobster to give it its overall position and whether it is right side up or upside down.  It functions much like a human’s inner ear.
  • How do lobsters hear and smell?

    • Answer:
      Lobsters use their Atennules (see diagram) for smell.  They have the ability to recognize many different smells.  We do not know if lobsters can hear as there has not been any evidence found to determine if lobsters are capable of hearing.     Diagram courtesy of Department of Marine Resources, State of Maine
  • I'm biology student and I want to know a procedure of taking blood sample from the lobster(especially anatomical site) and are lobsters osmoregulators or conformors?

    • Answer:
    To take blood you insert the needle just to the side of the nerve chord on the ventral sinus (bottom side of tail just slightly off the midline).  For the most part lobster are conformors.
  • Frequently I come across a cooked lobster where the meat is shriveled up within the shell. Is this what is referred to as a soft shell lobster or is this a lobster that is preparing to molt? Is this pre ... (more)

    • Full Question:
    Frequently I come across a cooked lobster where the meat is shriveled up within the shell. Is this what is referred to as a soft shell lobster or is this a lobster that is preparing to molt? Is this pre or post molted lobster?

    Answer:
    This occurs because the lobster is in the post-molt stage of their cycle. In a post molt the lobster has already shed it's old shell and needs to replinish on nutrients such as calcium to regain it's shell hardness. However, the shell hardness isn't the cause of making the lobster meat appear shriveled up. When a lobster is done molting there is an excess of water content inside them. When the lobster is cooked this water evaporates and makes the meat appear more shriveled then then when the lobster had a normal level of water content inside them. Another reason for the meat to be shriveled up is that they are being overcooked as well if you see this happening with lobsters that are not post molting
  • What happens to digested nutrients and undigested food in a crayfish?

    • Answer:

    The digestive system of crayfish is similar to the digestive system of lobsters. The lobster has a digestive system which consists of a long tract divided into three main regions: the foregut, midgut, and hindgut. Food is handled and processed first by the mouthparts and then is crushed by the mandibles before being swallowed. It then makes its way through the three main regions of the digestive system. Any remaining material (not digested) is packaged into fecal pellets surrounding by a mucous membrane. Contractions of the midgut force the pellets along to the hindgut and into the enlarged rectum. Rapid rectal contractions push the pellets out the anus at the base of the tail.

  • Can you please send me details or a reference for the blood test used to assess lobster health prior to taking into pound or holding unit.

    • Answer:

    Lobster blood (hemolymph) is often tested for protein concentration using a hand-held refractometer. This instrument measures the refractive index of fluids which is determined by the amount of dissolved solids, such as protein, in a sample. It is important to use a temperature-compensated instrument for these measurements. A more detailed discussion can be found through the link and reference: Measuring total protein concentration in blood of the western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus George) by refractometry. Oliver MD and MacDiarmid AB. Blood refractive index and ratio of weight to carapace length as indices of nutritional condition in juvenile rock lobsters (Jasus edwarsii).

  • Can lobsters feel pain - do they have nerves?

    • Answer:

    Similar to insects, the nervous system of a lobster is very simple and neither insects nor lobsters have real brains. Lobsters have a series of 15 nervous ganglia that span the length of the lobster, on the ventral side or belly side, with nerves projecting from each of these ganglia. The first ganglion is the closest thing to a brain. In general, for an organism to perceive pain it must have a complex nervous system. Many scientists that are studying the nervous system of lobsters tell us that they do not process pain. Lobsters don’t have a cerebral cortex, which is where pain is processed in humans or dogs and cats. If they do feel pain, it is most definitely in a different way than humans do. A new study out of Norway concluded that most invertebrates - including lobsters, crabs, worms, snails, slugs and clams - probably don't have the capacity to feel pain.

  • Does a lobster have a heart and do they have blood?

    • Answer:

    Yes, a lobster does have a heart; it is a single-chambered sac consisting of striated muscles with several openings called ostia. The heartbeat is controlled by the cardiac ganglia and is known as a neurogenic system (of neural origin), as opposed to that of humans - a myogenic system (of muscular origin). They do have blood; it’s called hemolymph as it is more or less composed of blood and lymph together. Just like human blood, lobster hemolymph transports blood cells as well as oxygen and other gases, nutrients, wastes, hormones and other molecules involved in the internal defense. Unlike human blood, lobster blood varies from white to grey to pink in color.

  • I am doing a science project in high school and wondered if there has been any DNA analysis done on the lobster? If so, where can I find it?

    • Answer:


    There has been a bit of work done on Lobster DNA. There is an active research project on Lobster Genomics looking at EST (expressed sequence tags). You can find the DNA sequence data at the following website http://www.marinegenomics.org/.

  • I'm doing a science project and I need to now what body systems does the lobster use? and The adaptations the animals in this phylum have used to help them survive?

    • Answer:

    Similar to insects, the nervous system of a lobster is very simple and neither insects nor lobsters have real brains. Lobsters have a series of 15 nervous ganglia that span the length of the lobster, on the ventral side or belly side, with nerves projecting from each of these ganglia. The first ganglion is the closest thing to a brain. Lobsters have what is termed a 'simple' digestive system. The stomach contains a structure called the gastric mill made up of mineralized 'teeth' used to grind up their food. Lobsters use gills to breathe much the way that fish do - they don't have lungs. The circulatory system of a lobster consists of a heart and some arteries but lobsters do not have veins rather, their blood (hemolymph) eventually gathers in large sinuses before returning to the heart. Lobsters have muscles but no bones. The muscles are attached to their exoskeleton (shells) for support.

  • Why do lobsters come in so many different colors?

    • Answer:

    The different colors are caused by genetic differences in the pigments that make up the shell color. Rather than containing all the pigments that combine to make a green-brown color the shell of a blue lobster (for an example) contains only a blue pigment. Genetic differences can also cause other strange colorings such as light orange, light yellow, greenish-brown, grey, dusty orange, white, some calico, and some with spots.

  • A Shop-Rite employee told me that they can keep Lobsters out of water for up to to a month because they have lungs and gills. I question this. Can you clarify?

    • Answer:

    Lobsters do not have lungs, but they have to ability to uptake oxygen from air via their gills, if they are kept moist and cool. I have never seen or heard of a holding system in which lobsters could be kept alive for up to one month, out-of-the-water. Some holding systems are using 100% chilled relative humidity but only for a few days (mist or shower systems). Trickle-down systems can hold lobster for several weeks. In trickle-down systems, lobsters are kept in plastic totes with holes at the bottom, several totes being stacked on top of each other, and where chilled water trickle down from the top tote to the one underneath until the water reaches the bottom one and then is recirculated back to the top one.

  • Have you ever heard of a pearl being found inside a lobster?

    • Answer:

    I wonder if it wasn’t simply a foreign body in the stomach, or more likely the gastroliths (structures located in the stomach that accumulate minerals (mostly calcium) prior to molting, so it can be reabsorbed and used in the new shell). The gastroliths are white and can get over 1 cm in diameter.

  • Is it true that lobsters do not have a central nervous systems and plunging them in boiling water is not inhumane?

    • Answer:

    Similar to insects, the nervous system of a lobster is very simple and neither insects nor lobsters have real brains. Lobsters have a series of 15 nervous ganglia that span the length of the lobster, on the ventral side or belly side, with nerves projecting from each of these ganglia. The first ganglion is the closest thing to a brain. In general, for an organism to perceive pain it must have a complex nervous system. Many scientists that are studying the nervous system of lobsters tell us that they do not process pain. Lobsters don’t have a cerebral cortex, which is where pain is processed in humans or dogs and cats. If they do feel pain, it is most definitely in a different way than humans do. A new study out of Norway concluded that most invertebrates - including lobsters, crabs, worms, snails, slugs and clams - probably don't have the capacity to feel pain.

  • What is the recorded memory span of the common Homarus americanus? How (if is does) affect their lifetyle?

    • Answer:

    The only reference that I could find on "lobster memory" is the one below with abstracts: Anim Behav. 1998 Dec; 56(6):1553-1560. Individual recognition and memory in lobster dominance. Karavanich C, Atema J. Department of Zoology, North Carolina State University American lobsters, Homarus americanus, form stable dominance relationships in captivity. Size, sex and stage in the moult cycle are important determinants for dominance. Other factors, such as recent agonistic experience play a role. This paper investigates how lobsters maintain their stable dominance relationships: they may recognize individuals or alternatively, recognize overall dominance status. We paired lobsters in two consecutive 'boxing matches'. Results indicate that lobsters remember familiar opponents when kept either in isolation or in communal tanks for 24 h between their first and second fights. Subordinates immediately backed away from familiar dominants, avoiding a second fight. In some animals, this memory lasted between 1-2 weeks if pairs were kept separate between the first and second fights. When paired for the second fight against unfamiliar dominant lobsters, subordinate lobsters from first fights actively fought and won the encounter. These results suggest that lobsters are capable of 'individual recognition'. In nature, the observed social organization of lobsters may be maintained by individual recognition of a small number of residents inhabiting separate, nearby shelters. (c) 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

  • How do lobsters poop?

    • Answer:

    The lobster has a digestive system which consists of a long tract divided into three main regions: the foregut, midgut, and hindgut. Food is handled and processed first by the mouthparts and then is crushed by the mandibles before being swallowed. It then makes its way through the three main regions of the digestive system. Any remaining material (not digested) is packaged into fecal pellets surrounding by a mucous membrane. Contractions of the midgut force the pellets along to the hindgut and into the enlarged rectum. Rapid rectal contractions push the pellets out the anus at the base of the tail.

  • What's the difference between a hard shell and soft shell lobster?

    • Answer:

    Lobster will periodically shed their shells as they grow. This can happen as many as 25 times before they are 6-7 years old; then males shed every year and mature females every two years. When lobsters become very large molting is less frequent. After they shed, they have a paper thin shell, which can take up to two months to harden, and are called soft-shell, new-shell or shedders. The debate goes on as to which is most tasty, though the soft-shell are definitely easier to crack!

  • How can you tell the sex of a lobster?

    • Answer:
    • If you look at the first pair of swimmerettes on the underside of the tail you will be able to tell if you have a male or female. If they are hard and rigid then you have a male and if they are soft and feathery you have a female. You can also tell by looking at the width of the tail. A female will have a wider tail compared with an equivalent size male, this is because she needs the extra width to carry her eggs.


    Click the image below for a larger picture

    Male Lobster Female Lobster

     

  • Can lobsters smell their food?

    • Answer:

    Lobsters "smell" their food by using four small antennae on the front of their heads and tiny sensing hairs that cover their bodies. Their sense of smell is so fine that they can sniff out a single amino acid that tags their favorite food.

  • Do lobsters have teeth?

    • Answer:

    The teeth of a lobster are in its stomach. The stomach is located a very short distance from the mouth, and the food is actually chewed in the stomach between three grinding surfaces that look like molar surfaces, called the "gastric mill".

  • Can lobsters "drop" new legs/claws on purpose?

    • Answer:

    Yes this is called reflex amputation (autotomy). They can discard a limb, this can be a lifesaving phenomenon. Lobsters have the ability to regenerate some of their body parts, for example, the claws, walking legs, and antennae. The fact that lobsters are capable of limb loss and regeneration is indicative of a very primitive nervous system and their differential sensitivity to pain compared to humans or other types of animals (they can drop a claw, etc. and go off like nothing happened).

  • What is the red "stuff" sometimes found inside a lobster?

    • Answer:

    That red "stuff" is the lobster roe or coral. It is the female lobster's unfertilized eggs. Lobster roe is often considered a gourmet delicacy.

  • What is the tomalley? (The green stuff you find in cooked lobsters)

    • Answer:

    The tomalley is the lobster's liver and hepatopancreas. It is often thought to be a delicious treat; however many advise against eating the tomalley. According to the Advanced Seafood Handbook, "there are no known safety considerations when it comes to eating lobster meat". However, consumers are advised not to eat the tomalley, the light green substance found in the lobster's carapace. This is the liver and pancreas, which are thought to accumulate contaminants from the environment. Much like the liver of other animals, the lobster's tomalley is the natural filter to prevent contaminants, like dioxins, from entering the system. It is a reassuring indication of the lobster's natural defense system at work, keeping the lobster meat wholesome, nutritious and delicious.

  • Are lobsters different colors?

    • Answer:
    • Lobsters come in just about every color. They can be blue, light yellow, greenish-brown, grey, dusty orange, white, some calico, and some with spots. Some even come in two colors, having half of their shell one color and the other half a totally different color. Of these only the white ones (true albinos) don't turn red when cooked. The hot water cuts the link between astaxanthin, a red substance contained in the lobster's shell, and protein which in cold water brings out the predominant coloring.

    Click the image below for a larger picture

    White Lobster Multi Colored Lobsters Yellow Lobster

     

  • What do you call a lobster with one claw?

    • Answer:

    A lobster that has lost one claw or has any missing appendage is called a cull. One that has lost two claws is called a bullet, dummy or log. Lobsters can grow back new claws, legs, and antennae.

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