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.

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