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Lobsters are members of the order "Decapoda." Crustaceans, are characterized by their hard shells and jointed body. Lobsters are related to other crustaceans, including shrimp, green crabs, rock crabs and barnacles.
HISTORY OF LOBSTER FISHING
At one time, lobsters were in such abundance, Native American Indians used them as fertilization for their crops. Once considered a "food of poverty," lobsters were caught with hooks and bait or by hand, and served to children, servants and prisoners.
Until the end of the 19th century, lobster was also used as a bait to capture other fish.
During the early 1800s, New York and Boston residents began seeing lobster in a whole new light. Suddenly, there was a demand for the sweet, tender meat, and small boats known as "smacks" were used to catch lobster and transport them alive to various east coast cities.
In 1850, as the demand for lobster again increased, fishermen off the coast of Maine devised the lobster trap and began capturing and then selling the higher priced live lobster. Within ten years, the popularity of lobster had spread and canneries began canning lobster meat and shipping them to areas where fresh meat was unavailable. By the time World War II was coming to an end, lobster was considered a delicacy.
TYPES OF LOBSTER
THE AMERICAN LOBSTER or True lobster is found in cool waters from Canada to North Carolina. It is most abundant in the Maine area and is often known as the "Maine Lobster," no matter where it lives. American lobsters have two strong front claws, which are used for eating and tracking prey. They are gray, black or brown in color with blue underbellies. American lobster are solitary creatures.
THE SPINY LOBSTER lives in southern U.S. waters and is a distant relative to the American lobster. Lobster tail most often comes from this species, which are most commonly found off the coast of Florida. Spiny lobsters have no claws and carry a spine studded shell. This lobster often shares dens with others and prefers to socialize, unlike all other species of lobster.
THE SHOVEL NOSE LOBSTER has a flattened face, but is otherwise identical to its American cousin. Shovel nose lobsters live in shallow, tropical waters and are the least sought after.
FRESHWATER LOBSTER or crayfish are the most colorful of all breeds, often deep pink, orange or blue in color. Their eating and lifestyle habits also closely resemble that of the American lobster.
In all, there are more than 30 varieties of lobster throughout the world.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Lobsters have stiff, segmented bodies which are covered by an exoskeleton. They have five pairs of jointed legs, one or more of which have been modified into pincers, while the rest serve as swimming legs. The flipper or fan-styled tail of the lobster is also used in swimming, allowing the lobster to propel backwards at a high rate of speed. The eyes of the lobster are carried on short stalks located at the front of the head. Lobsters range in size from 2-12 inches, weighing anywhere from 1-10 pounds.
REPRODUCTION
Female lobsters are mature enough to reproduce at the age of five. Sperm in transferred from male to female during the summer, with fertilization occuring in spring. The female lays up to 80,000 eggs at a time, once every two years. Eggs remain attached to the female through a "simmeret," which hangs from her tail until they hatch many months later. Newborn lobsters often become caught in the tide and drift and swim for their first 12 days to five weeks of life. Those juvenile lobsters which survive, eventually find a home on the ocean floor. Young lobster grow through the process of molting, and will shed its shell up to 25 times during its first 5 years of life. Adult lobsters molt approximately one time per year.
EATING HABITS
Lobsters are scavengers, taking what food comes to them. Not especially skilled hunters, most lobsters feed on carrion, clams, snails, mussels, worms and sea urchin. If desperate for food, lobster will eat another of its kind. Because of their natural cannibalistic nature, lobsters which are caught have their claws banded together.
GENERAL LIFESTYLE
Most types of lobster live on the rocky ocean floor, where they can easily hide from predators by slipping into the spaces between rocks. Adult lobsters have few predators. Humans, bottom dwelling fishes, eels and seals are the lobster's primary threat.
Most lobsters prefer to live by themselves, and are known to be aggressive and territorial.
LOBSTER FACTS
THE BRAIN of the lobster is the size of a grasshopper's brain. Scientists now believe that lobsters do very little thinking and feel almost no pain.
IT TAKES 5-7 years for a lobster to mature enough to be considered "market size" to fishermen.
THE LIFE SPAN of the lobster is typically 15 years, though many lobster live to be as old as 50.
THE American lobster is known by many different names including The Maine lobster, the Massachusetts lobster, and the North Atlantic lobster.
LOBSTERS are capable of reflux amputation. If a lobster fears for his life or has an injured limb or claw, it is able to shed the limb and regenerate the body part.
TEETH of the lobster are found in its stomach. Food is actually chewed in the stomach and not the mouth.
LOBSTERS have a refined sense of smell. Using their antennae on the front of their heads, lobsters are capable of sniffing out both dinner and danger.
THE LARGEST lobster ever netted was captured off Cape Cod in 1974. Affectionately named "Big George," it weighed 37 pounds and measured 2.1 feet in length.
LOBSTERS living close to shore have a 90% chance of ending up on someone's dinner plate.
TODAY
The American lobster remains in abundance along the eastern coast of the United States. Thanks in part to overfishing laws adopted in Maine, female lobsters who are carrying eggs are now released back into the water. Such programs have allowed the lobster to thrive, despite heavy fishing activities.
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