One in Two Million Rare Blue Lobster Caught by Maine Fisherman Released Back to the Ocean

The ocean is a vast and deep well of mystery. It holds amazing secrets and numerous underwater creatures, some of that has barely been seen by man. Recently, a fisherman was lucky enough to catch one of the rarest lobsters in the world during his time in the ocean. The one in two million chances of spotting a blue lobster quickly shocked him, but he opted to return the mysterious creature to the ocean for it to grow.

Once in a Lifetime Catch: Blue Lobster

Lars Johan Larsson, a fisherman from Portland, Maine, made a once-in-a-lifetime catch when he realized that he had caught a blue lobster off the coast of Portland. He says that the possibility of the catch is one in two million.

On Twitter, Larsson posted his rare catch saying that it was returned to the ocean to give the rare crustacean the chance to grow. After circulating online, the Tweet went viral, with one person writing that they had just discovered that blue lobsters existed. Some state that similar lobsters in Australia can be found in the rainforest behind the Gold Coast, reports KalingaTV.

Back in March, a Jersey fisherman also shared photos of his rare catch of a bright blue lobster. Morgan Bizec, the fisherman, explained that he caught the unique lobster three miles south of Corbiere, reports BBC News.

What Makes the Blue Lobster Unique?

Although its unique blueish color makes the lobsters seem like a different species, it is a variation of the typical American or European lobster. Homarus americanus or American lobsters typically come as murky brown, light orange, or green. On the other hand, Homarus Gammarus or European lobsters are often seen spotting a dark navy blue or purplish color.

The blue lobster's unique shade results from a genetic abnormality resulting in the overproduction of a specific protein in their body.l Since these oddly colored lobsters are rare; experts say that the odds of the color anomaly are at one in two million.

According to the University of Maine's Lobster Institute, the odds of catching a yellow lobster are at one in 30 million. On the other hand, the chances of catching two-toned lobsters are at one in 50 million.

As far as experts know, the eye-catching color of blue lobsters only causes differences in their skin color. But some speculate that they may be more aggressive than the regular-colored lobsters since their bright skin makes them more vulnerable to predators.

Lobsters have ten limbs, similar to other crustaceans like shrimps and crabs. Blue lobsters use their powerful claws to feed on fish, mollusks, and a wide array of sea algae. Blue lobsters have poor eyesight despite their sharp pincers and cope with it via their heightened sense of smell and taste.

Lobsters breed by laying eggs that females carry under their shelled abdomen for a year before releasing the offspring as larvae. Once reaching adulthood, these crustaceans can live up to 50 years.

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