Monday, university officials announced that researchers at the University of New England added an orange lobster to their collection of rare, multicolored crustaceans. The unusually colored lobster is a one-in-30 million find, the university said.
The bright orange lobster was caught in Casco Bay, Maine on Friday by Capt. Gregg Turner and his crew, Sage Blake and Mandy Cyr.
“My captain says he’s only seen two in his life, and no one believed him the first time,” the post said.
Lobsters are typically a dull color when alive and only get their signature red hue after being cooked. Genetics influence lobster shell coloration, which is where multi-colored crustaceans get their unusual colors. Markus Frederich, a Professor of Marine Sciences at the University of New England, told CBS News that the color of lobsters can also be caused by the way different types of protection work together. The lack of a certain gene, and then the respective protein, can lead to different colors, he said.
Charles Tilburg, the director of the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center told CBS News that scientists are also looking into whether coloration is caused by the environment or food.
“Will she stay the same color between molts because of her genes, or will she slowly change with each molt because of the new conditions in her environment?” he asked.
The lobster that hasn’t been named yet also gives scientists and students a rare chance to watch in real time how a lobster grows a new claw.
“Aside from her very rare color, this orange lobster is also one of a kind because she is missing a claw,” Alan Bennett, a university public relations strategist, said. “So faculty and students have a rare opportunity to study how her claw will regrow in real-time. “.
The University of Maine says that lobsters grow by molting, which is the process by which they struggle out of their old shells and take in water, which makes their bodies bigger.
The lobster in question will start regrowing her missing claw before her next molt. However, it will take several molts to regrow a claw thats proportional to the rest of her body.
“The claw regeneration happens surprisingly fast,” Frederich, the marine science professor, said. “Like we saw with Banana, our yellow lobster that came to us without any front claws, the claws grow back to their original size after two to three molts.” “.
The lobster was transported from Turners Lobsters in Scarborough, Maine to her new home at the Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center, Bennett told CBS News. The lobster will be under observation and cared for by the students and staff there.
In a press release, officials said it was the second rare lobster that Turner’s crew had found and given to the university. The first was a Calico lobster named Sprinkles that was caught and given to UNE’s Marine Science Center this past winter, but she later died.
“We suspect that the lobster was stressed during the transfer,” Tilburg said. “We have a much more sophisticated system for the transfer now. “.
The university said it retained its exoskeleton, using it for educational purposes including for camps and school groups.
The university has studied and cared for multicolored lobsters before. They have also had the chance to study blue lobsters, which are found once every two million times, and split-colored lobsters, which are only found once every fifty million times.
In Tilburg, there is a blue lobster named Blueberry, a calico lobster named Mango, a large lobster named Larry, a split lobster named Banana Split, and a famous yellow lobster named Banana.
A bright orange lobster named Cheddar was saved by workers at a Red Lobster restaurant in Hollywood, Florida, last year. The lobster was given a new home at Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach.
Then Ripley said, “Cheddar’s bright shell is due to a genetic change that makes it make more of a certain protein than other lobsters.” “.
Another orange lobster was discovered at a Westboro, Massachusetts supermarket in 2018. That lobster was spotted in a shipment from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.
Orange lobsters are extremely rare and valuable crustaceans that occasionally appear due to genetic mutations. Their vibrant orange color sets them apart from the more common blue-green lobsters. But just how much are these ultra-rare oddities worth?
Why Are Orange Lobsters So Rare?
Lobsters gain their normal blue-green hue from a red protein called astaxanthin that binds with a blue protein called crustacyanin, This mixture results in the greenish-brown tones we normally associate with lobsters
Orange lobsters lack the blue crustacyanin protein due to a genetic mutation. Without blue to balance out the red, their shells appear a fiery orange. This mutation is incredibly rare, occurring in only 1 out of every 30 million lobsters according to experts. That makes orange lobsters even rarer than blue lobsters (1 in 2 million) or yellow lobsters (1 in 10 million).
Estimating An Orange Lobster’s Value
Due to their extreme rarity, orange lobsters can fetch very high prices in the seafood market. However, there isn’t an established market value for these ultra-rare oddities. Their price depends on a variety of factors:
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Location of Capture – Orange lobster discoveries in busy lobstering areas like Maine or Nova Scotia tend to draw more interest and higher offers.
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Individual Lobster’s Size – Larger and heavier orange lobsters may attract higher offers A 2-3 pound lobster could be worth more than a 1 pound juvenile
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Buyer Motivations – Some purchasers may pay more for scientific/educational purposes or publicity value. Restaurants want a good deal.
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Lobster’s Health – Active, healthy orange lobsters have higher value than lethargic or injured ones Vibrancy matters
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Supply and Demand – More orange lobsters discovered in a short time period could lower value if supply outpaces demand.
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Broker Involvement – Listing a rare orange lobster with specialized seafood brokers can drive up auction bids.
Some real-world orange lobster sales can provide ballpark estimates on pricing:
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A Boston seafood restaurant paid $2,000 for a 1.5 pound orange lobster in 2012.
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In 2016, a 2 pound orange Maine lobster sold for around $2,500 at auction.
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A Canadian fisherman caught two orange lobsters on the same trip in 2017 and sold them for $5,000 each.
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In 2019, Ripley’s Aquariums paid Red Lobster $10,000 for a live 1.5 pound orange lobster they named Cheddar.
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A private collector paid a whopping $50,000 for a 3 pound orange lobster captured in Florida waters in 2020.
Based on these sales, it seems a typical offer for a live 1-2 pound orange lobster would range from $2,000 to $5,000. Larger specimens and competitive bidding could drive prices above $10,000. Smaller juvenile orange lobsters or those in poorer health would go for less.
What Factors Impact An Orange Lobster’s Lifespan?
If kept as an exotic pet or for research instead of being sold for food, how long can an orange lobster live? Several key factors impact their lifespan:
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Habitat Size – They need roomy tanks with 10+ gallons per lobster. Cramped quarters cause stress.
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Water Quality – Excellent filtration and parameters like pH match their natural ocean habitat.
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Diet – They require a varied diet of shellfish, plant matter and quality pellet foods.
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Handling – Gentle handling minimizes injury risk. Their exoskeletons are vulnerable.
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Tank Mates – Peaceful tank mates reduce aggression and injuries from fights.
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Molting Issues – Failed molts can be fatal. Their habitat should support safe molting.
Given ideal living conditions, orange lobsters may exceed 15-20 years in captivity. Some have even lived 30+ years in aquarium habitats. Ensuring their environment meets all their needs is key to maximizing lifespan.
Orange lobsters command premium prices starting around $2,000 thanks to genetic anomalies causing their fiery shell colors. Sparse supply and high demand allows sellers to ask top dollar, especially for large healthy specimens captured in active fishing zones. While not cheap, owning one of these mega-rare beauties can be feasible for enthusiasts willing to pay their lofty costs. With proper care, privately owned orange lobsters could brighten aquarium displays for over 20 years.
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Michael Roppolo is a social media associate producer for CBS News. He covers a wide variety of topics, including science, technology, crime, justice and disability rights.
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FAQ
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Are orange lobsters rare?
Researchers at the University of New England welcomed its latest addition – an orange lobster – to its collection of rare, multicolored crustaceans Monday, university officials announced. The unusually colored lobster is a one-in-30 million find, the university said. The still-unnamed lobster was caught in Casco Bay, Maine on Friday, June 2, 2023.
What are the odds of catching an orange lobster?
The odds of catching an orange lobster are about one in 30 million, compared to the one-in-two million odds of catching a blue lobster, according to the University of New England. Capt. Gregg Turner, who has been fishing since he was 5 years old, said he has only seen one other orange lobster in over 50 years of fishing.
Where was the bright orange lobster caught?
The unusually colored lobster is a one-in-30 million find, the university said. The still-unnamed lobster was caught in Casco Bay, Maine on Friday, June 2, 2023. / Credit: University of New England The bright orange lobster was caught in Casco Bay, Maine on Friday by Capt. Gregg Turner and his crew, Sage Blake and Mandy Cyr.
Did Jose Romero find a rare orange lobster?
‘Let me go get my leadership.’” Jose Romero holds up a rare orange lobster named Crush, which Romero found in a shipment of live lobsters sent to the Pueblo Red Lobster on July 12. Kendra Kastendieck, the restaurant’s general manager, has only overseen the Pueblo seafood eatery for about a year but has worked in restaurants for about two decades.