The Spiny Lobster

I found this Spiny Lobster resting in the tide pool. I thought it was dead, so I touched its head to see what it felt like. IT MOVED!!!!! It sent a BIG SHIVER down my spine! The unfortunate lobster was injured, but very much alive. Let’s take a look at the different parts. See the two short antennae sticking out in front of the eyes? Those help the lobster smell things. Then see the very long curved antennae? Those can “feel” the water moving. So they can feel a predator approaching and hide. Or they can feel nearby prey and attack. It has legs for walking. It has a tail that can curl up quickly. When it curls up, it shoots the lobster in the opposite direction of danger. The biggest difference between a lobster from Maine and one from California is that the Maine Lobster has the big claws. The tail of the California Spiny Lobster is edible and so delicious that laws had to be made to protect the lobster population. Lobster will eat just about anything, dead or alive, as long as it fits in its mouth. A female lobster will lay, on the average, a half a million eggs! It’s a good thing. That means more lobster for you to eat!


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