Lobster Basics

A crustacean with an elongated body, the lobster thrives in the depths of the sea. Since lobsters generally crawl around at night among the rocks on the seabed, they can be easily caught in sunken, cagelike traps. Found mainly in the Atlantic, the North American lobster is a slightly different shape and color from the species found off European coasts. The North American lobster is still fairly plentiful, but the lobster has all but disappeared from European coasts and is sold in Europe at exorbitant prices. It was so abundant in North America during the colonial period that it was regarded with disdain, but as its popularity increased it became the target of an overly aggressive fishery—so aggressive that many countries have been forced to regulate their lobster fisheries to protect the species.

The lobster has five pairs of claws, the front pair of which is much more highly developed than the others and is equipped with powerful pincers. The larger of these two pincers—either the right or the left—is used to crush food, while the smaller one is used to cut food into pieces. The lobster has a well-developed abdomen (or tail) that is comprised of seven sections, the last of which is a powerful fan-shaped appendage. The pointed head of the lobster is equipped with bulging eyes and is surmounted by a protruding spiny appendage known as the rostrum. Two of the six antennae attached to the rostrum are much longer than the others.

The lobster sheds its shell as it grows, replacing it 12 times over a five-year period. Mature lobsters weigh approximately one pound and are usually about one foot long. The edible portions of the lobster are the flesh inside its abdomen (or tail) and claws (including the small ones), as well as the coral (lobster’s eggs) and the greenish liver inside the thorax (or head). Lean, firm, delicate, and very flavorful, the white and pinkish flesh of the lobster comprises only about 30% of its total weight.

The female lobster is distinguished from the male by the appearance of small fins located at the point where the thorax joins the abdomen: the female’s fins, which are used to hold eggs, are thin and webbed; while the male’s are long, stiff, and prickly. The flesh of female lobsters is often considered to be superior, especially during the egg-laying season, and is thus more sought after than that of males. At one time, the overconsumption of female lobsters constituted a threat to the species, but because in modern times many of the lobsters now consumed are bred on vast lobster farms, it has become less of a problem.