American Lobster

Hello! My name is an American Lobster, and I want to tell you my story. I live on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, from shallow coastal areas to depths over 2,300 feet. My home is a very busy place! But I wasn't always a big lobster scuttling on the seabed. My life started as a tiny little egg. When I hatched, I didn't look like I do now. I was a larva, a speck so small that I just floated near the top of the water with the currents. After floating for a while, I drifted down, down, down until I landed on the ocean floor. That is when my real adventure as a lobster on the bottom began.

Living on the ocean floor means I need good protection. My body is covered in a hard, bumpy shell that acts like a suit of armor. It keeps me safe! But there’s a funny thing about my armor—it doesn’t grow. So, when I get bigger, I have to wiggle out of my old shell and leave it behind. This is called molting. Right after I molt, my new shell is very soft, and I have to be careful. I hide away from predators like the big codfish until my new armor gets hard and strong. I also have some amazing built-in tools. I have two big claws, and they each have a different job. My bigger claw is called a crusher claw. It’s super strong with bumpy knobs, perfect for smashing open the shells of snails. My smaller claw is my pincher claw. It’s sharper and helps me grab and tear my food into smaller pieces I can eat.

I am a creature of the night. During the day, I like to rest in my rocky den, but when the sun goes down, I come out to explore. While it is dark at the ocean bottom, my eyes are adapted to detect movement and shadows in low light conditions. But I don’t need to see to find a meal! I use my other senses. I have long antennae on my head that I wave around to smell and taste the water for anything yummy nearby. I also have tiny little hairs on my legs that can taste the ground as I walk. This is how I find my favorite foods like crabs, snails, and sometimes even a little fish. Humans began fishing for American lobsters in large numbers in the mid-19th century, over 150 years ago. We have been an important part of their meals ever since.

My life as a lobster can be very long. Some of us can live for 100 years! We have a very important job to do during all that time. By eating leftover food and other small creatures on the ocean floor, I help keep the water clean and healthy for all the other animals who share my home. You could say I am a proud ocean janitor! American lobsters contribute to the marine ecosystem through their feeding habits and role as prey, but they are one of many species that collectively maintain ocean health. I am still scuttling around today, using my claws and my special senses to do my part. I help keep my beautiful ocean home in great shape for everyone.