5 Weird Lobster Facts | What the Stuff?!

Lobsters are pretty strange animals. But just how strange, exactly?

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Special thanks to Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce for their assistance with the remote video shoot.

Lobsters are weird. Here’s why.

Lobsters Weren’t Always a Delicacy: Though these crustaceans were prized cuisine during the Middle Ages in Europe, they were so abundant in 18th and early-19th century New England that their meat was fed to pigs and their shells used as fertilizer. Indentured servants in Massachusetts were so sick of eating it that they won a court case to keep their masters from feeding them lobster more than three times a week.

Lobsters Pee Out of Their Faces. For Emotional Purposes: A lobster excretes waste from a few spots on its body, but it urinates out of openings on its face called nephrophores. (I feel less wasteful about leaving that part on my plate now.) And it’s not just about getting rid of toxins! Lobsters urinate in each others' faces during fights to express themselves, and lady lobsters’ urine contains pheromones that get dude lobsters in the mood for lobster love.

Lobsters Have Two Stomachs. And Are Cannibals: The first stomach is located in what we'd consider the lobster's head -- right behind its eyes – and contains teeth-like things called a gastric mill that crush the lobster’s prey. Once the food is ground fine, it passes through to the second stomach – a large digestive gland that filters nutrients from waste, sort of like your liver. Oh, and that prey? Is not-infrequently other lobsters, especially when they’re in close quarters.

Lobsters Can Regenerate Limbs: Lobsters aren’t all that attached to their limbs – literally! They can detach a leg, claw, or antenna in an emergency – this is reflex amputation, or autotomy. And they can grow it back during their molting cycle! Lobsters molt in order to grow, splitting and shedding each hard piece of their carapace. If they’ve lost a limb since their last molt, they’ll grow it back as they grow back their shell. No big.

Female Lobsters Practice Reproductive Planning: The female of the lobster species chooses her mate, makes the first moves, and can carry the male’s live sperm around with her for up to two years before using it to fertilize her eggs. The thing is, she’s got some tens of thousands of eggs, so she may collect sperm from multiple males before going ahead with fertilization. The thing is, just 2 of every 50,000 eggs she lays will live long enough to become an adult lobster of catchable size. Their survival depends on the environment she chooses for them, so it’s good that she's picky!

[akozack]

I've always wanted to learn more about lobsters

[Caygo]

So i can buy a live lobster and keep it in a tank and just rip a claw off and eat it then the lobster will grow the claw back? Unlimited lobster for life?

[cece]

How did I get here.... But interesting video!

[EmilyLPhelps]

On one hand, they pee from their faces... on the other hand, they are so delicious, they eat each other. I'm torn... but well-informed!

[barh]

Good non kosher food, love it. Makes it safe to eat.

[mjSnap]

Well, this is a tad curious, isn't it? Thank you for the data.

[widecast]

These videos feature lobsters and what we in NZ call crayfish. The only lobster I know of here is the fresh water lobster with nippers, and the saltwater crayfish we have doesn't have nippers. We don't call these lobsters.

[TheIslandstyle]

One lobster peed on the other's face before knocking him out cold.

[bexyevans]

That must be fun...lobsters peeing in each other's faces. 😃 No, really, that sounds disgusting.

[Cashman]

I just don't like how they cook the lobsters. So stopped eating it.

[steve]

Did anyone else get an ad for Red Lobster? 😂

[zoidbergthelobster]

I'm knowing a lot of weird facts about my self

[donowens]

i did not know that but i thought my lobster died until i discovered I may wanted to leave it alone hmmmm?

[ashtoncharlienapao]

I got a lobster plush I call it lobsie

[BritishConcept]

I took a look at the HSW article and the 'biological immortality' thing is nonsense? Such a shame. It would have been a small consolation for how badly they're treated.

[WNDRBY]

So, lobsters like golden showers.? Not sure if all this knowledge is healthy..

[famouse]

Yes you're right . She does look like Adam Sandler! Lol

[akozack]

hmm lobsters like to pee on each other. who knew

[zoltan]

please dont eat obsters, you should eat only claws

[tonywords]

turn down the annoying music. also we can tell youre on a greenscreen, no need for the sound effects of a city