Tag Archives: Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus)
Do Lobsters Live Forever?
Many animals that live in the deep, dark sea are subject to myths, and lobsters are no different. But one particular “belief” that lobsters would be immortal were it not for fishermen and hungry predators doesn’t exactly hold water, biologists told Live Science. “Lobsters age just like most other organisms,” said Thomas Matthews, a lobster biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Some lobsters, however, do have extraordinarily long life spans. The American Lobster (Homarus americanus) can live to at least 100 years, which is more than five times the life span of the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) can live to at least 100 years, which is more than five times the life span of the Caribbean spiny lobster. Water temperature explains most of this difference in age, Matthews said. When lobsters are in warm water, such as the Caribbean, they have faster metabolisms. Conversely, when they’re in cold water, their metabolisms are slower. Read the rest here 14:42
