Rare two-colored lobster caught by fishermen off Cape Cod donated to aquarium

April 28, 2026 Rare two-colored lobster caught by fishermen off Cape Cod donated to aquarium by Patrick Whittle edited by Alexander Pol Alexander Pol deputy editor Meet our editorial team Behind our editorial process Editors' notes This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked reputable news agency proofread The GIST Add as preferred source A rare split-color lobster is seen at the Wellfleet Shellfish Company, in Eastham, Mass., April 17, 2026. Credit: Shannon Keresey/Wellfleet Shellfish Company via AP It might be a divided lobster, but it has united New Englanders in fascination. A Cape Cod seafood company has donated a rare two-colored lobster to a science center, sparing the critter from the kettle because of its remarkable coloration. The lobster found is the typical brown color on one side and bright orange on the other, and the two-toned pattern goes all the way from its head to its tail. Representatives for Wellfleet Shellfish Company in Eastham, Massachusetts, said Monday they have been fielding inquiries about the crustacean for days. The company gifted the lobster to Woods Hole Science Aquarium in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and it will be put on public display when the aquarium reopens, the company said. "The lobster is now with Woods Hole Science Aquarium's animals currently being housed in holding tanks at the Marine Biological Laboratory during the aquarium's construction period. When the aquarium reopens, the lobster will be on display, offering visitors a rare look at one of the ocean's most striking natural anomalies," the shellfish company said in a statement. A rare split-color lobster is seen at the Wellfleet Shellfish Company, in Eastham, Mass., April 17, 2026. Credit: Shannon Keresey/Wellfleet Shellfish Company via AP Fishermen caught the lobster off Cape Cod on April 16. Oddly colored lobsters often make their way to New England's docks over the course of the spring and summer, but the two-colored specimen is rarer than most. The American lobster is usually a mottled brown, but they can experience color abnormalities due to gene mutations that affect the proteins that bind to their pigments. Some are blue or orange, some are spotted calico and others are so brightly color they're called "cotton candy" lobsters. A two-colored lobster can occur because two lobster eggs fused and grew as one animal, marine sciences professor Markus Frederich of the University of New England in Maine told The Associated Press in 2024. There are estimates about the rarity of different lobster colors, though Frederich has also cautioned that such figures are approximations. On Cape Cod, Wellfleet Shellfish Company said it's treating the two-colored lobster as a "remarkable and exciting find." Key concepts shellfishcommercial fishery resourcesanatomical deformities © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Citation: Rare two-colored lobster caught by fishermen off Cape Cod donated to aquarium (2026, April 28) retrieved 28 April 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-04-rare-lobster-caught-fishermen-cape.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is…

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