American Lobster for Kids Ages 3-5

American Lobster

Hello. I am the American Lobster and I live on the rocky floor of the Atlantic Ocean. I have a hard shell and two special claws: a big crusher claw to crunch shells and a smaller pincher claw to hold my food. As I grow, I molt, which means I wiggle out of my old shell and grow a new one. My most important job is being an ocean cleaner. I eat leftovers from the sea floor, which helps keep the ocean tidy and all my neighbors healthy.

First Scientific Description 1817

First Documented Fishery c. 1650

Largest Specimen Recorded 1977

The Story of the American Lobster

Hello there. My name is the American Lobster. I live in both shallow and deep parts of the cool ocean, with a preference for shallower waters. The big Atlantic Ocean is my home. I like to live on the rocky sea floor. It is my special neighborhood. I can hide between the big rocks. I can hide in little caves, too. I have a hard, dark shell that keeps me safe, like my own suit of armor. I also have long feelers on my head. They are called antennae. I use my antennae to touch things and smell yummy snacks in the water.

Do you see my big, strong claws? They are very special. I have two, and they are not the same. One claw is very big and bumpy. It is my crusher claw. I use it to go CRUNCH on hard shells. My other claw is smaller and sharp. That is my pincher claw. It helps me hold my food so I can eat it all up. My shell is strong, but sometimes it gets too small for me. When I get bigger, I have to take it off. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, and I am out. Then I grow a new, bigger shell. This is called molting. I do it many times when I am growing up.

I have a very important job in the ocean. American lobsters are not known to engage in cleaning symbiosis. I walk all around the bottom of the ocean. I am an opportunistic feeder and scavenger, consuming dead animals and organic matter. This helps keep my home on the ocean floor neat and tidy. It is good for everyone. When I keep my home clean, I help all my neighbors, like the fish and the crabs, stay healthy and happy. A clean ocean is a happy ocean for everyone, and that is my special job every single day.