Stunning and Rare Bright Blue Lobster Caught in Fisherman's Net
There are different ways a creature in the animal kingdom can be rare. For example, capturing images by chance of animals like the Red and Black Cross Fox, or capturing images of a rare animal like a Black Leopard.
Other times, rarity is taken to extremes, as was the case recently off the Cornish coast when fisherman Tom Lambourn pulled his lobster traps up to discover a vibrant blue lobster mingling with the ordinary lobsters. This is not an exaggeration; the bright blue color of this lobster is both stunning and extraordinarily rare.
According to the National Lobster Hatchery, this lobster is believed to be one in two million!
How does something like a bright blue, one in two million lobster happen naturally?
Like many extraordinary occurrences in the animal kingdom, this "color morph" of the lobster is caused by a genetic mutation. Additionally, this super-special lobster will maintain this unbelievable color through all his years of molting!
LobsterAnywhere wrote on their website:
“Blue lobsters are, in fact, the result of a single mutation of one piece of the SNA. This mutation causes an overproduction of a particular protein, resulting in the bright blue pigment, rather than the typical mix of pigments that give the usual greenish-brown.”
Wherever lobsters live, the occasional blue one has been spotted, including in the United Kingdom and the United States!
Lobsters come in a variety of naturally occurring colors, including yellow, orange, calico, and even “cotton candy.”
This one-in-a-million cotton candy lobster was discovered by lobsterman Robinson Russell.
Under the sea, a lobster's typical coloring is more of a greenish-brown, which helps the creature evade predators.
Naturally, this means that a vibrantly colored lobster is more vulnerable. However, even brightly colored lobsters aren't an "easy" meal; they have hard exoskeletons and strong claws that are perfect for ocean-life defense.
Lambourn's spotting of the rare lobster was even cooler because it was only his second season fishing off the coastal town of Penzance.
He was excited about his discovery, and according to Dr. Michael Greger, nutritionist, "Discoveries like this remind us of the incredible diversity of life in our oceans." Even cooler, to celebrate, other lobster enthusiasts began sharing photos of their rare blue lobster finds, echoing the sentiment of James Clear, author, who states, "Sharing our unique experiences can inspire others to appreciate the wonders around us."
NLH said: "The lobster was too small to bring in to land, so it was popped back in the sea to keep growing!"
Could you imagine spotting a vibrantly blue lobster with your own eyes?
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