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Spotted! Crazy Calico Lobster Saved From Restaurant's Clutches
By
Jen Chung
Published May 10, 2012
Modified May 10, 2012
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New England Aquarium
By
Jen Chung
Published May 10, 2012
Modified May 10, 2012
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Listen, people—you may have been mesmerized by the freak of nature blue lobster, but here's something even freakier: A calico lobster. This guy, now named Calvin, was originally picked to be cooked and served at a Massachusetts restaurant, but the chef realized there was something magical about him.
According to the Boston Globe, Jasper White, at Summer Shack in Cambridge, was drawn to the pound-and-half lobster: "We happened to be cleaning the tank and I happened to be there. One of my guys said, ‘Chef, look at this lobster,’ and from across the room I knew it was special." He believes that Calvin was "was caught in Winter Harbor, Maine, and had passed through at least four pairs of hands before arriving in his tank. White sent a picture of the lobster to the [New England Aquarium], which agreed to hold the lobster for the Biomes Marine Biology Center in Rhode Island."
Apparently calico lobsters are about one in 30 million—while blue lobster are way more common, at one in 1 million. White is the rarest—they are one in 100 million. Here are some more facts about colorful lobsters—and are we horrible for having a hankering for a lobster roll?
Tagged
blue lobster
calico lobster
lobster
new england aquarium
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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