Photo 3

Oh god, this huge lobster is crazy big , its main claw is almost as big as my hand.

TWENTY POUND LOBSTER???

This is a twenty pound lobster that we saw at the Department of Marine Resources in Maine. The claws are about as big as my hands! The larger claw is the crusher claw, used to crush their prey. The other claw is called the ripper claw which they use to rip their food apart. This is the biggest lobster I've ever seen!!!!!!!

Photo 2

Half a dozen oysters from the seafood store, they only cost 1 dollar per shell, to be honest my first half dozen, had little flavor. By the time I ordered my other half dozen, it tasted salty and had a lot more flavor.

POTTS HARBOR!!

This is Potts Harbor, Maine, where lobster are caught! We met Jim, our lobsterman of the day! He told us about how lobstering works, and the bond between lobstermen! Seriously thinking about dropping out of school and being a lobsterman.

photo 1

Mr. Weeks lobster boat, parked in Sandwich, Massachusetts. The boat was 38 feet long and operated by himself and his brother.

LOBSTER TRAP

Here is a typical lobster trap. It costs about $70 and it is comprised of two main areas. One is called the "kitchen" where the bait, usually of fish, is hung and the lobster can enter the trap to get some food. Then there is an area called the "bedroom". This is where the lobsters are trapped. The black rectangular shapes on the lobster traps allow the juvenile lobsters to escape the trap because they aren't legal for being caught and eaten.

journey

ya this is a blue lobster!! get at us one and every 2 million lobsters in maine are blue. very rare and we did not paint!!!!

This is a lobster pound in sandwich ma were mr.weeks took us to find out more about the prices of lobsters through a market.we got to hold some of these lobsters and yes they were heavy!!!!!

although we went to learn about lobsters i thought this was in need of sharing!! this is a sea horse who would of every know that we would have seen one well we were exploring lobster!!!

Cape Cod and Maine Lobster Trip

Approaching the Sagamore Bridge in Sandwich, Massachusetts on our Lobster boat excursion with Mr. Weeks.

This is a split-colored black and orange,this unusual pattern happens once in every 50 to 100 million lobsters.

If you look closely you will notice the deformity in this particular Lobster, where it has two claws on one arm, both a pincher and a crusher. 

Trip to Maine

Today we went to Maine to visit various locations. First we went to the harbor to see another lobsterman, Jim. He is an experienced lobsterman who has seen it all. As one of the most respected lobsterman in the area, Jim knows his lobster territory and regulations so that others may not break that code of conduct. One surprised me most, is that lobstermen, just like hockey players have a certain code of conduct that one is not meant to break. They are like unspoken rules. Just as hockey players do not kick with their skates when they are in a fight, lobstermen, without calling authority, figure their problems with one another on their own, whether it be by means of piracy or confrontation.

Cape Cod

Yesterday we went to Cape Cod to spend some time with Spencer's father, Mr. Weeks, to learn more about lobstering. He is a lobsterman. He showed us how lobster traps work and some of his experiences as a lobster man. The highlight of the day was definitely going out into the canal with his 38 foot boat. On the ride back, we were getting splashed with sea water, and he called it a "Cape Cod hair gel".

capecod

Today we went to the cape. we got to go out on the boat, see some lobsters and had a good time. We also got to eat some seafood. It was a good experience and it was something that i think all of us will never forget.

My dad taught us about the lobsters. We also got to see how a lobster pound works. Another thing we got to see were crabs.

Lobster Biology

How do lobsters reproduce?

Male lobsters deposit packets of sperm under the female’s tail where later on, the female will use to fertilize her eggs externally when they are laid. The sperm can be stored for several months, because females only breed every two years. Their eggs are placed for 10 to 11 months under their tail. The number of eggs a female lobster has, depend on their size. Ten inch lobsters have about 5,000 eggs, while a 14 inch have 40,000 eggs. After the baby lobsters hatch, they are planktonic, meaning they live like planktons, where they float with the current until their fifth molt, where they go to the bottom of the sea and start their sedentary lifestyle.

How do lobsters shed their shell?

The shell of the lobster does not grow with the lobster because it is a crustacean. They must shed or molt their shell every year if they are an adult, while juvenile or young lobster shed five times every year. The eyes of the lobster release a hormone that tells the lobster that it is time to shed. The exoskeleton then is detached from the body, and the skin underneath hardens with time. However while the lobster’s skin is hardening, it is vulnerable and also hard for the lobster to move.

What is its central nervous system like?

Lobsters do not have brains like us mammals. They also do not have an elaborate nervous system, which brings up the controversy whether or not they can feel pain. They use their antennae to smell their food. They test the chemicals in the water which test evaluates the concentration in the water. They taste by using their legs and their mouth parts.

What do they eat?

A lobster’s diet consists of fish, clam, crabs, mussels, sea urchins, and sometimes each other. Previously, they were thought to be scavengers, finding carcasses at the bottom of the ocean.

"Lobster Reproduction." Lobsters. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2013.

Papagiorgio, Nicole. "How Often Do Lobsters Shed Their Exoskeletons?" EHow. Demand Media, 17 Apr. 2011. Web. 05 Mar. 2013.

"Lobster & Shrimp: Nervous System." Lobster & Shrimp: Nervous System. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2013.

"The Lobster Institute: Diet & Digestion." The Lobster Institute: Diet & Digestion. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2013.

biology of lobster

biology of lobster

how long do they live for ?lobsters can live to be more than 100 years old these lobsters meat is very gross to eat and most lobster men will throw the older lobsters back. a normal lobster will live to about 50 years old and there meat isn't that bad but normally a fisherman will not keep them because there shell does not look good of they have things growing on it that effect the price when selling.

do all lobster have claws?There are two kinds of lobsters, and these are commonly referred to as clawed lobsters and spiny lobsters, or rock lobsters. Clawed lobsters include the american lobsters a well-known marine species. Clawed lobsters are generally found in cold waters.

how do lobsters reproduce?females bread every two years the male will carry the sperm cell and plant it into the female. from there the female will carry the sperm until the breading seasons of july and august because it must be warm for theses animals to give birth. the females babies will soon disperse right after birth with the current of the water it will send each of the babies in a different direction.





how can you tell a male from a females?Lobsters have feathery strings called swimmerets underneath their tail. These swimmerets help a lobster swim and are also where a female lobster carries her eggs. Swimmerets show the sex of a lobster. The first pair of swimmerets the pair closest to the head are soft on a female, but hard and bony on a male.females have a rectangle shield underneath her legs witch holds on to the sperm cells and keeps them together.

Jay's Biology of Lobster

Difference between Male and Female Lobster?
There are a few different ways to determine weather a lobster is a Male or Female, one is the swimmerets that help a lobster swim and are also where a female lobster stores her eggs. Swimmerets can help find the sex of a lobster. The pair of swimmerets closest to the head, are soft on a female, but hard on a male.

How old is Lobster in store compared to how old some get in wild?

Research has found that Lobsters can live to be more than 100 years old. It is very hard too tell the exact age of a Lobster though most Lobsters live to about 50 years old. Commercial Lobsters you buy from a fish market or grocery store are somewhere around 8 years old but it is hard to the age.

How do Lobsters reproduce?

Male lobsters will deposit sperm on the bottom of the female. The female later uses the sperm to fertilize her eggs as they are laid. The female can store the sperm for several months while waiting for July and August which is usually when the eggs are laid. Females breed every two years, the number of eggs is related to the size of the female, and is typically about 5,000 eggs for a 10 in.

What is the Lobsters diet?
The lobster is consider a scavenger, and will really eat anything on the ocean floor. Lobsters like fresh food, Its diet typically consists of crabs, clams, mussels, worms, and sea urchin's or flounder. A lobster may eat up to 100 different kinds of animals, and occasionally eats some plants as well. If a lobster has the chance it will eat another lobster.


 

Lobsters Facts on their biology

Do lobsters feel pain?

A lobster thrown live into boiling water may suffer for many seconds, said a scientist who argued Thursday that crustaceans can likely feel pain.Elwood said billions of prawns, crabs and lobster are caught or reared for human consumption every year and treated in "very extreme ways."

Differences between male and females

Lobsters have feathery appendages called swimmerets, or pleopods, underneath their tail. These swimmerets help a lobster swim and are also where a female lobster carries her eggs. Swimmerets also can clue you in to the sex of a lobster. The first pair of swimmerets (the pair closest to the head) are soft on a female, but hard and bony on a male.

Also, the female has a rectangular shield between her second pair of walking legs, which she uses to store sperm after mating with a male. This is where the male inserts those hard swimmerets during mating, releasing sperm that the female stores and later uses to fertilize her eggs.

What is the lobsters diet

Lobsters usually move around and hunt for food at night. It was once thought that lobsters were scavengers and ate primarily dead things. However, researchers have discovered that lobsters catch mainly fresh food (except for bait) which includes fish, crabs, clams, mussels, sea urchins, and sometimes even other lobsters!

Question 4

What is the average life span of lobsters? 

The lobsters average lifespan in the wild: 50 years. Size: Up to 3.25 feet (1 meter) long.They generally prefer to live in self-dug burrows, in rocky crevices, or hidden among sea grasses. Lobsters must shed their shells in order to grow, and some species can live to be 50 years old or more, growing continually throughout their lives.

Do lobsters feel pain?

A lobster thrown live into boiling water may suffer for many seconds, said a scientist who argued Thursday that crustaceans can likely feel pain.Elwood said billions of prawns, crabs and lobster are caught or reared for human consumption every year and treated in "very extreme ways."

Differences between male and females

Lobsters have feathery appendages called swimmerets, or pleopods, underneath their tail. These swimmerets help a lobster swim and are also where a female lobster carries her eggs. Swimmerets also can clue you in to the sex of a lobster. The first pair of swimmerets (the pair closest to the head) are soft on a female, but hard and bony on a male.

Also, the female has a rectangular shield between her second pair of walking legs, which she uses to store sperm after mating with a male. This is where the male inserts those hard swimmerets during mating, releasing sperm that the female stores and later uses to fertilize her eggs.

What is the lobsters diet

Lobsters usually move around and hunt for food at night. It was once thought that lobsters were scavengers and ate primarily dead things. However, researchers have discovered that lobsters catch mainly fresh food (except for bait) which includes fish, crabs, clams, mussels, sea urchins, and sometimes even other lobsters!

Bio of lobsters

What is the classification of a lobster?

Lobsters are classified in the phyllum Arthropoda which also includes shrimp, crabs, barnacles, and insects. As invertebrate crustaceans, lobsters also have a hard outer shell or exoskeleton, and no inner skeleton or bones.

What are the body parts of a lobster?

• Abdomen -- the section commonly referred to as the "tail".
• Antennae -- tactile organs, having a sense of touch.
• Antennules -- chemosensors, having a sense of smell - with a function similar to a human nose.
• Carapace -- the outer shell of the cephalothrax
• Cephalothorax -- contains the head and thorax sections -- together they are commonly called the "body"
• Chelipod (crusher claw) -- the larger of the claws, with a rounded surface suitable for crushing prey such as shellfish.
• Chelipod (ripper or pincher claw) -- the smaller of the claws, which is more pointed and sharp, is used for tearing food apart. 
• Eye -- compound eyes provide sense of sight 
• Mandible -- jawlike structure for crushing and ingesting food
• Maxillipeds -- the mouthparts of the lobster, flat platelike parts used to pass food to the mandible
• Pereiopods (walking legs) -- The two sets of walking legs immediately behind the claws are also used for catching and eating food and have many "taste" sensors; the last two sets of legs are used primarily for walking.
• Pleopods -- commonly known as "swimmerets". with tiny hairs. In females the hairs are somewhat longer and are the attachment point for eggs.
• Telson -- the central tail fin
• Uropods -- the outer pairs of tail fins

How does the lobsters nervous system work?

Lobsters have similar nervous systems to an insect. They both don't have brains. They have about 100,000 neurons.

How do lobsters reproduce?

The ovaries of the female lobster are located in the cephalothorax, extend through the abdomen, and are similar to the form of an "H"

The testes (B) of the male lobster are variable in shape and may be either longitudinally paired or H-shaped. Similar to the female oviducts, in the male, paired ducts, called the vas deferentia, emerge just below the heart and run downward toward the of the fifth walking legs. Along this course, they become thicker and glandular, and then they become narrow and thin-walled to form the duct. The thick, glandular portion of the vas deferentia secrete a gelatinous matrix over the sperm to form dense packets of sperm called spermatophores.

During mating, the male transfers a spermatophore to the female. Males of the spiny and slipper lobsters plaster the spermatophore to the outside of the hard-shelled female's abdomen, where it darkens and becomes known as the "tar". Clawed lobsters copulate shortly after the female sheds her old exoskeleton. The male turns the soft female over, cradles her body to hold her up off the bottom while he mounts her and inserts his modified first pair of pleopods (known as the gonopods) into the seminal receptacle of the female.

http://www.lobsters.org/tlcbio/biology5.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2008/03/20/nature_lobsterhatchery_feature.shtml

http://www.lobster.um.maine.edu/index.php?page=47

How healthy is lobsters?

Lobster is often considered a luxury item on the menu, but perhaps it should be included in your diet more often.

Protein: You need adequate amounts of protein in your diet because it ensures that all your body, system function properly. Lobster is a good source of protein with about 20 g in each 3-oz. serving.

Vitamins: There are numerous vitamins present in just one 3-oz. serving of lobster meat. A serving of lobster supplies about 6 percent of the vitamin E you need in your daily diet. Vitamin E in your diet may help reduce your heart disease risk. Lobster is also a rich source of vitamin B-12, supplying 45 percent of the daily value in just one serving.

Minerals:There are also many different minerals in lobster that support your health. A 3-oz. serving of lobster supplies 6 percent of the daily value for calcium, as well as 2 percent of the iron your body requires. A serving of lobster also supplies 80 percent of the daily value for copper.

Disease Prevention: A diet rich in low-fat and nutrient-dense foods, like lobster, can decrease your risk of certain illnesses and diseases. According to "The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods," lobster may have some additional disease preventative benefits. A diet that includes lobster may reduce your risk of heart disease.

What is the best way to eat an lobster?

How to Eat the Lobster’s Legs

Grasping the lobster by its back, gently twist the legs so that they come away from the lobster at their base. You can then get little bits of meat and lobster juice out of the legs by breaking them at the joins and biting and sucking on their ends. You may also be able to remove strings of meat using your lobster fork.

How to Eat the Lobster’s Claws

As you did with the legs, twist the claws so that they come away from the lobster at their base. You’ll now have what looks like an “arm” with a claw at the end. Break off the arm from the claw at their point of connection.

Eat the Meat in the “Arm”

Use your lobster fork to remove the meat inside the arm. You may have to use the nutcracker to open up the shell further in order to get at the meat fully.

Eat the Meat in the Claw

The claw looks like a mitten, with a “thumb” opposing the rest of the claw. First, pull away the thumb from the claw with your fingers. You can usually pull the meat from the thumb by just spearing it and pulling it with your lobster fork.

To get at the meat in the part of the claw, use your nutcracker to crack and remove the tip of the claw. Now the claw will have holes at both ends—at its tip, and at the “wrist” where it met the “arm.” Insert a finger or your lobster fork into the hole at the tip of the claw and push the meat out the hole at the wrist.

Do Lobster Feel Pain?

Having experienced two rounds of shocks, the crabs learned to avoid the shelter where they received the shock. They were willing to give up their hideaway in order to avoid the source of their probable pain.... [the lobster's] nervous system isn't very complex, so it's feeling little to no pain. animals with simple nervous systems, like lobsters, snails and worms, do not have the ability to process emotional information and therefore do not experience suffering, say most researchers.

Eating Lobster

Do lobsters really scream when they are boiled?

Lobsters do not scream when they are boiled because they do not have vocal chords. The possible “scream” that people may here is the air in the stomach being exhaled through the mouth. There is also controversy in whether or not the lobsters feel pain. Crustaceans do not have a elaborate central nervous systems like humans. They do not have a brain and only have a primitive nervous system. This is backed up by a study done in 2005 by the Norwegian government.

How many calories are in lobster?

One serving of lobster is approximately 140 calories. It is basically low in fat and full of protein.

What is the most popular way of cooking it?

There are many ways of cooking it but the most popular ways are lobster tails and lobster bisque. Most people like to simply boil the lobster while it’s still alive. However, this is controversial because some people think that lobsters feel pain and think that boiling lobsters are inhumane.

What are the edible parts of lobster?

The edible parts of the lobster are the meat inside except the shells, the intestines and the stomach. If the claws are crushed open, then the meat insides is good for eating.

Anderson, Lessley. "Do Lobsters Really Scream When You Put Them in Boiling Water?" Weblog post. Chow The CHOW Blog. N.p., 21 Feb. 2007. Web. 05 Mar. 2013.

"Nutrition Info For: Lobster, Cooked, NS as to Cooking Method." How Many Calories Are in Lobster, Cooked, NS as to Cooking Method. Fit Day, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2013.

"Eating Lobster." Eating Lobster. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2013.

Jay's Lobster Cooking and Eating Guide

Ways to cook a lobster?

There are a number of different ways too cook lobster. Three of the most popular ways too cook are Boiling, Steaming, and Grilled. Boiling is one of the simplest ways to cook a lobster. Steamed Lobster is a great way to cook but not overcook a lobster's delicate meat. This setup will work well on a stove top, but if you're feeding more than eight people, it would be a good idea to cook the lobsters in a large stockpot on a propane "crab boil" burner outside.  

How to eat a lobster tail?

With one hand, firmly grasp the top of the lobster’s back. With the other hand, grasp the lobster’s tail in the same way. Twist the two parts of the lobster in opposite directions until they separate. At this point, you have two different ways to get at the tail meat.

How to kill a lobster?

Make sure the rubber bands around the claws stay on during this process, as you don't want to be dodging the claws while cutting up the lobster. You must first cut it in half down the center. This job is one that is best left to a 10 inch chefs' knife, and one with a good deal of heft. With the lobster sitting where the tail curls towards the table, flatten it out and in one hand grasp the tail where it joins the body. In the other hand, take the knife's point and aim for the place an inch or an inch and a half from between the eyes towards the tail. The blade of the knife should be facing away from your hand that is holding the tail. Press the point of the knife into the head at that point until the point of the knife goes all the way through the lobster's head to the cutting board, then bring the blade down between the eyes to finish the cut of the head. This kills the lobster as quickly and painlessly as possible. Some say that you can 'hypnotize' a lobster by rubbing the top of its head or its abdomen, thereby pacifying it before boiling. The theory is that the adrenaline produced by a frightened lobster adversely affects the texture and flavor of the meat.

Types of Lobster?

Quite simply, there are two different types of lobsters available to diners – the clawed lobster and the spiny lobster. It’s easy to tell the difference by appearance but there are also some differences as far as what’s inside. Which you choose can be dependent on personal taste or may be determined by price, as there is often a difference in cost.