Unique Life Cycle Makes Lobsters Live Long

Delicious seafood that is often served at special moments: lobsters! We’re familiar with the tastiness, the tender texture of the meat, but what about the life cycle of this particular marine animal? It’s interesting to know, no? One of the uniqueness that sea lobsters have is their age. As it turns out, sea lobsters can survive to the age of 140 years!

Sea Lobster Life Cycle 

The thing that makes sea lobsters so attractive is their longevity. They can live up to decades, there are even some species that can reach hundreds of years!

For example, the North American lobster (Homarus americanus) and the European lobster (Homarus gammarus) are sea lobsters that can live up to 100 years. Even research says, some can survive to the age of 140 years! 

Then, how is their life cycle?

The growth of sea lobsters is divided into four phases. Starting from the larval phase (nauplisoma and phylosoma), the postlarval phase (puerulus), the young lobster phase (juvenile), and the last is the adult lobster phase. When it reaches the juvenile phase, the skin of sea lobsters contains a lime substance that makes the shell hard.

Sea lobsters have the ability to molt. This very process allows lobsters to continue to grow throughout their lives, albeit at a growth rate that gets slower with age.

Larger species tend to live longer because they protect themselves from predators. In addition, environmental factors also affect the lifespan of sea lobsters. They are sensitive to changes in temperature, water quality, and conditions of the marine environment.

Characteristics of Sea Lobsters

Similar to shrimp, the body of a sea lobster consists of two main parts, namely the cephalothorax (head) and abdomen (body). The abdomen is covered by hard, prickly skin called the shell. Such strong shells are used to protect themselves from danger. Body color varies, it can be greenish-blue, brown, or blackish.

Often found around coral reefs, the habitat of sea lobsters is actually quite diverse. They can live at depths of 100 meters below sea level and on the rocky seabed. This marine animal is a type of nocturnal animal. They are also very aggressive in hunting prey.

Sea Lobster as a Commodity

Sea lobsters are a valuable commodity, given that they are more sought after in the global market and so higher in value. The delicacy of its meat has become everyone’s favorite in the culinary world.

The characteristics of a quality sea lobster are the bright color of the shell and the rather large size. However, due to the slow growth process, it can take years to get adult sea lobsters ready for consumption. Therefore, sea lobsters have a relatively expensive price.

Sea lobsters are unique animals with interesting characteristics and life cycles. They are not only the most-wanted one in the culinary world, but also represent amazing marine resources.

You can find sea lobster products at Seafood by Aruna, which offers high-quality marine products. Other various types of fish and seafood from local fishers can also be ordered easily on the platform.