IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A FRESHLY COOKED LOBSTER, BUT NOPE, THAT LOBSTER IS ALIVE AND SPORTING ITS NATURAL COLOR. A CREW OFF CASCO BAY CAUGHT THE ORANGE LOBSTER RECENTLY AND NOW IT'S HEADED TO UNE TO BE STUDIED. THE ODDS OF SEEING ONE ARE ALLEGEDLY VERY RARE...AT ABOUT ONE IN 30 MILLION. THE LOBSTER'S BEEN DONATED TO THE MARINE SCIENCE CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND IN BIDDEFORD. STUDENTS SAY THEY'VE NEVER SEEN ONE BEFORE AND ARE EXCITED TO STUDY IT. THE EXACT MECHANISM FOR RARE COLOR DEVIATIONS LIKE THIS, IS STILL A SCIENTIFIC MYSTERY. <> "WHEN YOU TALK TO SCIENTISTS THEY TELL YOU IT'S EITHER ENVIRONMENT OR GENETICS BUT THEY DON'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHICH ONE IT IS. AND SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THESE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THIS AND HELP ANSWER THESE PARTICULAR QUESTIONS" THE SAME CREW PREVIOUSLY DISCOVERED A RARE CALICO LOBSTER, WHICH WAS ALSO TRANSFERRED TO UNE'S MARINE R
Rare orange lobster caught in Maine donated to research university
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Updated: 1:42 PM MDT Jun 7, 2023
A 1-in-30-million catch in Casco Bay, Maine, has been donated to the Marine Science Center at the University of New England.Thirty times rarer than the famous blue lobster, the odds of seeing an orange lobster are about one in 30 million. A marine biologist at UNE in Biddeford, Maine, says they've never seen an orange lobster. They're excited for students to have a unique opportunity to study the vibrant creature.The exact mechanism for the rare color deviations is still a mystery."When you talk to scientists they tell you it's either environment or genetics but they don't tell you exactly which one it is," UNE's Charles Tilburg said. "And so the fact that we have a couple of these at the University of New England to actually look at this and help answer these particular questions" The same crew previously discovered a rare Calico lobster, which was also transferred to the UNE Marine Research Facility, where students affectionately call it Sprinkles.
BIDDEFORD, Maine — A 1-in-30-million catch in Casco Bay, Maine, has been donated to the Marine Science Center at the University of New England.
Thirty times rarer than the famous blue lobster, the odds of seeing an orange lobster are about one in 30 million.
A marine biologist at UNE in Biddeford, Maine, says they've never seen an orange lobster. They're excited for students to have a unique opportunity to study the vibrant creature.
The exact mechanism for the rare color deviations is still a mystery.
"When you talk to scientists they tell you it's either environment or genetics but they don't tell you exactly which one it is," UNE's Charles Tilburg said. "And so the fact that we have a couple of these at the University of New England to actually look at this and help answer these particular questions"
The same crew previously discovered a rare Calico lobster, which was also transferred to the UNE Marine Research Facility, where students affectionately call it Sprinkles.
