Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Field Notes • Marine Life

Lobster

Lobsters are marine crustaceans in the order Decapoda, best known for their large claws in many species and their edible tail and claw meat.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Lobsters are marine crustaceans in the order Decapoda, known for their large claws and edible meat. They live on the seafloor in coastal and offshore habitats, with the American lobster being a key species in Canada.

What it is

Lobsters are hard-shelled crustaceans that shed their exoskeletons through moulting as they grow. They have a long lifespan—American lobsters may live to about 100 years—but are not immortal, as they still die from disease, predation, or injury.

Key details

Lobsters are opportunistic omnivores, eating fish, crabs, mollusks, worms, sea urchins, and algae. They prefer rocky seafloor habitats with crevices or burrows for shelter. When cooked, heat breaks down the protein crustacyanin, turning the shell red-orange.

Why it matters

Lobster is economically and culturally important in Canada, especially in Atlantic Canada, where the American lobster supports commercial fisheries and is tied to coastal communities.

In short

  • Lobsters are marine crustaceans that live on the ocean floor.
  • They are opportunistic feeders with a varied diet.
  • American lobsters can live up to about 100 years.
  • Lobster turns red when cooked due to pigment changes.
Canadian angle

Lobster is economically and culturally important in Canada, especially in Atlantic Canada, where species such as the American lobster support commercial fisheries and are widely associated with coastal communities.[12][9]

Quick questions

What do lobsters eat?
Lobsters are opportunistic feeders that eat fish, crabs, mollusks, worms, sea urchins, algae, and other available prey.
How long do lobsters live?
Lifespan varies by species, but American lobsters may live to about 100 years; exact ages are hard to measure because lobsters molt.
Why do lobsters turn red when cooked?
Heat breaks down crustacyanin, a shell protein that normally masks the orange-red pigment astaxanthin, causing the shell to turn red-orange.

Sources

  1. NOAA Fisheries — https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/american-lobster
    Supports: Lifespan, diet, habitat, ocean-floor living, territorial behavior, and regional distribution of American lobster.
  2. University of Maine Lobster Institute — https://umaine.edu/lobsterinstitute/educational-resources/diet-digestion/
    Supports: Lobster feeding behavior and examples of prey, including fish, crabs, clams, mussels, and sea urchins.
  3. NHPBS NatureWorks — https://www.natureworks.nhpbs.org/animals/northern-lobster/
    Supports: Habitat, lifespan estimate, and distribution of northern lobster.
  4. BioExplorer — https://www.bioexplorer.net/what-do-lobsters-eat.html/
    Supports: General description of lobsters as omnivorous crustaceans with a varied diet.
  5. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobster
    Supports: Explanation of why cooked lobsters turn red via crustacyanin and astaxanthin.
  6. Medical News Today — https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/303332
    Supports: Common cooking methods such as boiling or steaming.