A lobster is a member of the family of marine crustaceans. This omnivorous animal feeds on a variety of plants and tiny fish. It has a sweet, salty taste and similar chewy texture to shrimps.

Lobsters are also known for their many culinary uses. These include the popular lobster ravioli and lobster mac and cheese. They can be grilled, fried or steamed. The lobster’s meat is sweet and salty, with a rich flavour. Some people don’t like the taste of lobster tomalley, which is the green stuff found in the body cavity of lobsters. Others use it as a seasoning in other dishes.

Lobsters can be found in every ocean on Earth. Their body shape is similar to a crab. Most lobsters have a brownish color that blends in with the bottom of the ocean. This helps to keep them secret from predators. When a lobster is in danger, it retracts its tail quickly. One of the fastest speeds ever recorded for a lobster’s tail fin movement was 11 miles per hour.

Lobsters are omnivores, eating mussels, clams, sand fleas and other small animals. They live in crevices on the sea floor and are sometimes buried in sandy or rocky soil. After they have shed their fourth shell, they float on the surface for four to six weeks. Seals and other sea mammals eat the lobster larvae. Female lobsters are susceptible to predation during this time.

In addition to having a claw, most lobsters have a flipper-like muscular tail. This tail can move into rock crevices and propel the animal backward. Sometimes, the tail is used as a weapon.

The brain of a lobster is about the size of a grasshopper’s throat. It contains several chemoreceptors, which are sensors that help the lobster find food and detect nearby danger. Chemoreceptors also help the lobster choose a mate.

Eyes of a lobster are located on individual stalks. Each eye contains thousands of little lenses. The eyes of lobsters are called compound eyes. The most complex eyes of lobsters have a concave retina and refractive ray concentrators. Chemoreceptors are also found on the legs, the head and the mouth. Among the 400 types of receptors are chemosensory organs that detect chemical signals and odors in seawater.

Lobsters have a digestive system that is akin to other species in the Decapoda. Their digestive system is also used to remove wastes from the body. Wastes can be eliminated through gills, nephropores or the digestive glands.

During mating, the dominant male mates with a group of females. At this time, the female oviducts release eggs. If the pair mates successfully, the female molts her shell and leaves with fertilized eggs.

In the process of molting, lobsters will discard their shell. When the shell is shed, they will swell to the size of a lobster. Typically, only ten percent of the lobster’s larvae will reach this size. Once the larvae reaches this stage, they will burrow into the sand or clay.