Large marine crustaceans with long bodies, muscular tails and big front claws, highly prized as seafood. They have blue blood, from copper-based haemocyanin.
Quick answers
What is it?Crustacean
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
It stays in its burrow by day and wanders the sea floor at night.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?Yes
Usually boiled or steamed in the shell and eaten with butter and lemon.
At a glance
Found inOceans
HabitatOpen ocean, Coast
ColoursRed, Blue, Brown
SizeMedium
LengthUp to 1.1 m (American lobster)
WeightUp to 20 kg (American lobster)
Legs10
Covered inShell
Lives alone
Lives for45–50 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- What it eats
- Live prey such as fish, molluscs, other crustaceans and worms, plus some plants. They scavenge if they need to.
Did you know
Does not really weaken with age — it just keeps growing.
Often confused with
- Crayfish
Freshwater crayfish are among the lobster’s closest living relatives.
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