Lobsters are oversized crustaceans meaning they have segmented
bodies, jointed legs, and two pair of antennae. They are
arthropods, usually bilaterally symmetrical, with unequal claws.
Lobsters are found everywhere except the cold waters of the Arctic
and Antarctic. They make their home on the ocean floor, hiding in
crevices and burrowing under rocks. They are nocturnal. They are
carnivores eating fish, mollusks, worms, and various other live food
but will eat algae and eel grass.

Lobsters are invertebrates with a hard exoskeleton that is used
for protection. Lobsters do not have the best eye sight and have
to use their antenna's to move about the ocean floor. They are
very slow creatures, however when in danger they can swim
backward very swiftly. It is common for many Lobsters to reach
100 plus years in age. Lobsters are always growing and must molt
many times in a given year, during this process many will change
colors.

Lobsters are best eaten fresh and normally purchased live. They
are shipped and sold with their claws banded. This keeps them
from hurting each other and their handlers. There are many ways
to cook lobster but the most common methods are boiling or
steaming. Lobster can be used in several dishes including soup,
pasta, and salad. Freezing is not recommended as it may toughen
the meat.

Maine lobsters naturally come from Maine. Maine harvests most of
lobster from the North Atlantic. The temperature of the water is an
important factor as it affects the texture of the meat which in turn
affects the taste.

Another type of lobster is the rock lobster. These lobsters are
found near New Zealand and Tasmania. They do not have pincers
on the first pair of walking legs as other lobsters do. They have
two long spines projecting from beside their eyes. They can be red
or green in color and are nocturnal. They are found in groups and
hide in crevices and reefs. Their predators are octopus, sharks,
and several fish. They are also carnivores eating mussels, sea
urchins, crabs, and worms.

If you guessed the tail as being the most sought after part of the
lobster you would be correct. Eating the lobster tail does take
some work; you need a nutcracker and a small fork to get the job
done. Many restaurants that offer seafood feature lobster tail, this
is the part of the lobster with the most meat. The true lobster
restaurants will have live lobsters on display where consumers can
choose the lobster they want cooked for them.






Tim Somers, owner of several websites provides some great resources for Lobster Tail. http://www.mainecoastlobster.com