About Blue American Lobster
American lobsters are solitary nocturnal animals. They are also active at dusk and dawn. To avoid predators the lobsters hide in their burrows. They live in a social hierarchy that is identified by individual chemicals.
Food is digested through 3 stomachs, the first does the grinding, the second digests (the green part) and the third prepares the remains for elimination. They may eat their own shell once molted and will prey on other lobsters in captivity or in lobster traps.
The lobsters have 21 segments in 3 distinct body parts – 6 segments in the head, 8 in the thorax or chest and 7 in the abdomen or tail. Five pairs of legs comprise the thorax. Two claws are used for feeding. One claw is larger and is used for crushing prey, while the smaller claw is used for biting. The rear legs are used for walking. Their eyes are located on stalks found on the head segment.
Blue American Lobster at the Akron Zoo
The Akron Zoo’s blue lobster calls the Komodo Kingdom home.
- Clawdia – female
In 2020, an employee at a Red Lobster restaurant in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio noticed that there was a rare blue lobster in the shipment. As Red Lobster is a partner with Seafood Watch, they reached out to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which then reached out to the Akron Zoo.
Akron Zoo staff were able to spring into action and Clawdia was brought to her new home the next day.