Important crustaceans, lobsters comprise the Nephropidae family and part of the Homaridae family. Prized as seafood in many places, lobsters are considered to be vital to local economies, with the most commonly fished species being clawed lobsters. Whether you enjoy them for their gastronomic value or if you would rather not partake, these creatures are more than just a delicacy to be enjoyed. They play a valuable role in the marine environment and can be fun to watch – not to mention beautiful to see. Let’s take a closer look at some of the world’s most commonly encountered lobster species.
Lobsters: The Basics
There are some things all lobsters have in common. All are invertebrates, and as they have hard protective exoskeletons, segmented bodies, and jointed limbs; they are arthropods. Clawed lobsters, reef lobsters, and freshwater crayfish have much in common with one another, while others, like slipper lobsters, spiny lobsters, and squat lobsters are much different. Fossil records of clawed lobsters extend back to the Valanginian age of the Cretaceous Period, some 135 to 140 million years ago.
Lobsters have five pairs of walking legs, with clawed species bearing claws on the front three pairs, the first pair of which tend to be the largest. With antennae on their heads, which are used as sensors, and simple reflective eyes, and strong jaws, they are well suited to life on the ocean floor. Unless they are molting, which is a phase in which they shed their shells in order to grow, they are fairly safe from predation and can live for years. Incredibly, scientists believe that barring accident, predation, or capture, some lobsters could live indefinitely, as they show no sign of weakening or losing vitality with age. The largest and oldest lobsters ever captured show the same signs of fertility as younger lobsters do, and some researchers believe that older lobsters may be even more fertile than their more youthful relatives. The largest lobster recorded was caught off the coast of Nova Scotia, and weighed over 44 pounds.
Like snails and spiders, lobsters have blue blood which gives them a distinctive color; their blood contains high concentrations of copper. They often appear iridescent when seen in their natural habitats, where they tend to move slowly by walking along the ocean floor. They do have swimmerets, which they utilize by quickly curling, then unbending their abdomens.
Omnivorous, and not terribly picky about their food, though they prefer live prey like other crustaceans, marine worms, and other small creatures, lobsters often scavenge and enjoy cleaning up after fish, sharks, and other messy eaters. Various lobster species can be found in all the world’s oceans. They have been found at depths of up to 3,700 meters beneath the surface, and tend to prefer hideouts with some shelter, like cracks, crevices, caves, and burrows beneath rocks.
The lobster species you will encounter depends mainly upon where you dive. For instance, Spiny Lobsters are found primarily in warm water environments, including South Africa, the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas, and in Australasia, where they are often referred to as sea crayfish. Their relatives, Furry Lobsters, which are also known as Coral Lobsters, are found in the Caribbean as well, plus they can be found along the Atlantic coast of South America.
Slipper lobsters are also found in warm oceans and seas around the planet, with a variety of different species ranging from just over 2 inches to as long as more than 20 inches at maturity. These lobsters tend to grow slowly, and are not fished as heavily as true lobsters and spiny lobsters are. Some other names for Slipper lobsters include Shovelnose Lobster, Spanish Lobster, and Squagga, though there are a number of other nicknames used in a variety of locales to describe various species.
Next time you see a lobster, take a closer look! Depending on its size, it could be much older than you are. With careful conservation and ethical fishing practices, these incredible creatures can continue to thrive, and contribute to the oceans’ ecology in their own special way.