If there's one thing that any lobster lover knows for sure, it's that this crustacean is absolutely delicious -- especially when paired with warm, melted butter. Other than that, most of us don't know much about this bottom-dweller of the sea. And there might be a reason for that.
A bit of research on lobsters reveals that they have a bizarre past and are known to exhibit some unique behaviors (for instance, they pee from their faces). Intrigued? Read on to learn nine strange facts about the crustacean in honor of National Lobster Day.
1. The female lobster takes "her clothes off" to mate. In order to grow, lobsters have to shed their shell and regrow a newer, bigger one. It's during this vulnerable time that the female lobster decides to mate, shacking up with a male for 10-14 days until she is protected with her new shell and can move on. She can hold on to his sperm for up to two years before using it to fertilize her eggs and she is not monogamous -- despite what you might have heard on "Friends." A female lobster can carry the sperm from multiple mates at the same time.
2. Lobsters pee out of their faces. They have urine-release nozzles right under their eyes. They urinate in each other's faces as a way of communicating, either when fighting or mating.
3. The green stuff in lobster is called the tomalley. It's digestive tissue that functions as the lobster's liver and pancreas. Some people consider it a delicacy, but the FDA does not recommend ingesting the green stuff because it may be contaminated with toxins.
4. Lobsters have two stomachs. One in their head -- and it has teeth! It does the work of crushing the food. The second is right behind the first and extends into the abdomen. It aids in digestion.
5. One lobster claw can exert 100 pounds of pressure per square inch. Careful. A claw from a 21-pound lobster is capable of breaking a man's arm.
6. Lobsters can detach one of their limbs in an emergency, and grow it back during a molting period. They molt and regrow their shells 20-30 times in an average lobster lifespan.
7. In the 17th century, lobster was anything but a delicacy. It was so abundant that the meat was fed to pigs and the shells used as fertilizer. There were even laws passed that forbade people to serve it more than a three times a week to servants or prisoners.
8. Lobsters are cannibals. If food is scarce they'll eat one another. No shame. Actually, occurances of lobster cannibalism seem to be on the rise and some biologists think climate change is to blame.
9. Lobsters don't scream in pain when put in a pot of boiling water. They don't have vocal chords, so they literally CANNOT scream. The sound most people hear is air being released from their stomachs through their mouth.
Still hungry for lobster? We've got 17 great recipes for you below.
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