Nephropidae or Homaridae is a family of marine crustaceans which people associate with Lobsters. The term “Lobster” is typically used to refer to the clawed Lobsters of the family Nephropidae, even though numerous other species of crustaceans also have the word “Lobster” in their names.
True Lobster Homaridaes have claws on all three sets of legs, with the first pair having particularly big claws. The American Lobster, designated Homarus Americanus, and the European Lobster, designated Homarus Gammarus, are the most known since they are frequently consumed as food.
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Appearance
The Lobster is covered in a tough, fragmented exoskeleton and contains five sets of legs, a few of which are sometimes transformed into pincers, with the claw on one side typically being bigger than the claw on the other. The word “claw” is used for convenience when referring to the Lobster. However, the correct term would be chelaes.
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The enormous stomach of a Lobster is covered with many pairs of swimmer limbs (swimmerets), two pairs of long appendages, and intricate eyes on moveable stalks. When swimming, the animal uses a muscular tail that resembles a flipper to push itself backward.
Diet
As omnivores, Lobsters often consume live prey, including fish, mollusks, other crustaceans, worms, and various types of plants. Cannibalism is a recognized tactic they use while kept in captivity, in addition to scavenging when required. Due to the fact that Lobsters consume their own lost skin after molting when Lobster skin is discovered in their stomachs, this is not always proof of cannibalism.
However, in some areas, when Lobsters’ natural predators are missing, and the population-to-food supply ratio is out of balance, Lobsters will engage in cannibalism in the natural setting. Thus researchers have concluded that Lobster cannibalism is not exclusive to captivity.
Habitat
On rocky, sandy, or muddy substrates from the seashore to beyond the edge of the continental shelf, Lobsters may be found in all oceans. They often dwell alone in cracks or tunnels beneath rocks. In the chilly, rocky waters along the North American coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the bottom-dwelling American Lobster thrives.
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However, Lobsters may be found in all of the world’s seas as well as freshwater and saltwater settings. Although they occasionally live in shallow water, Lobsters are more common in deeper water that is 1,200 ft below the surface. The size of the Lobsters increases as you go deeper, with a typical specimen weighing around 5.5 lbs.
Reproduction
Male Lobsters will use their chelates or claws to attract females, whereas the more prominent features increase the chances of successful mating. Before releasing the eggs as larvae into the ocean, female Lobsters carry the eggs under their abdomens for up to a year.
The larvae go through a number of phases in the water column until they finally land on the bottom and spend the remainder of their lives there. They often favor self-dug tunnels, rocky nooks, or hiding among sea grasses for their homes. Lobsters must lose their shells in order to develop, and some species can live for 50 years or longer while continuing to grow.
Threats
Eels, crabs, seals, and rock gunnels are just a few of the predators that prey on Lobsters. A Lobster that is hidden in a rock crack can be retrieved by an eel by pushing its slender body inside. Seals can capture Lobsters with their strong teeth and are quick swimmers. Additionally, certain species like cod and flounder also consume Lobsters.
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Humans provide the greatest threat to Lobsters in all environments. Since the Paleolithic era, people have consumed Lobster. The enormous popularity of the crab at this time, which dates back thousands of years, is evidenced by the presence of large mounds of Lobster shells close to regions where fishing settlements are occupied.
Facts about the Lobster
- The largest Lobster ever caught weighed 44 lbs and was 4 ft long.
- Lobsters can live beyond 60 years.
- Some Lobster species drown in freshwater.
- Lobsters have teeth in their stomachs.
- A lobster’s crackle is often compared to the sound of a violin.
FAQs
Is a Lobster a prawn?
While lobsters can only be found in saltwater and brackish water, shrimp can live in freshwater; prawns can be found in both fresh and saltwater. While lobsters are crustaceans that crawl or walk, shrimp and prawns are swimmers. As opposed to shrimp, which only have one set of claw-like legs, lobsters have three pairs.
Is a Lobster technically an insect?
In reality, Lobsters are closely linked to insects. These beady-eyed, clawed-clad aquatic creatures are closely related to grasshoppers and mosquitoes, even though it’s difficult to imagine. Arthropoda is the phylum of invertebrates that includes both insects and lobsters.
How long can Lobsters live out of water?
If placed in a cold, moist environment, a lobster may survive for a number of days without its water supply. A Lobster’s gills must be wet in order for it to take oxygen from the air; otherwise, they will stop working.
Can a Lobster regrow its brain?
Since Lobsters are social animals, they will engage in deadly conflict to maintain or advance their position of dominance. When a dominant Lobster is vanquished, its brain dissolves, and a new, inferior brain grows in its place. Interesting fact: Antidepressants will strengthen a vanquished Lobster’s tenacity.
