Morphologically speaking, the lobster DOES NOT possess the BIG frontal CHELES instead characteristic of the lobsters (crustaceans belonging to the Species Hommarus ); despite this, and although they are different for family and genus, lobster and lobster are frequently confused with each other, probably due to the similar shape of shrimp and the considerable size that can reach both. However, both from the zoological point of view (morphology and classification), which from the commodity point of view (fishing and price), the two crustaceans are extremely different.
Mediterranean lobsters: various species
Lobster is a Decapod marine crustacean belonging to the Palinuride family and to the genus Palinurus ; the most famous Species is called P. elephas or Mediterranean lobster. Ultimately, the binomial nomenclature of the common lobster is Palinurus elephas, also known by the synonyms of Palinurus vulgaris and Palinurus quadricornis .
Mediterranean lobster is NOT the only species of lobster in the basin; in fact, the Palinurus mauritanicus (white lobster), the Palinurus ornatus and the Palinurus regius (green lobster) also colonize the Mediterranean seabed.
Mediterranean lobster
The Mediterranean lobster can reach up to 50cm in length and a weight of about 8kg; it has a tapered body, similar to that of a shrimp, differentiated into:
- Head: which protects the brain and organs (with the exception of the intestine); to it are tied legs, two long antennae, two toothed "V" shaped spines with defensive function and the eyes (no claws are present).
- Body: consisting of six segments that cover the large muscle (mainly responsible for escape) and ending with a fan-shaped tail.
Outside, the lobster is protected by a thick spiny carapace, pigmented in reddish brown with brown or dark yellow streaks.
The lobster is a crustacean that can reach very advanced ages and, by virtue of its characteristic of growing uninterruptedly, it is not uncommon for specimens to be caught even close to half a meter in length.
The lobster colonizes the entire Mediterranean basin and the eastern Atlantic ocean; lives on rocky bottoms or algos characterized by dens and burrows, with bathymetric depths of at least 20m and up to 100m. The lobster is a gregarious and sedentary animal, therefore it is not rare that it forms real colonies in the most suitable areas, as well as rich in nourishment; the lobster's diet consists essentially of: plankton, algae, other invertebrates, small fish and other crustaceans.
White lobster
The description of the white lobster ( P. mauritanicus) does not differ much from that of the Mediterranean lobster, however, it is distinguished from the latter by its ability to reach considerably higher dimensions (up to 75cm). The white lobster has smaller and spaced spines that are not separated by a "V" shaped space. It lives in greater depths and colonizes seabeds ranging from 200 to 600m. It is less common than the Mediterranean lobster.
Green lobster
The green lobster ( Palinurus regius ) is opaque, blue-green and edged with yellow; it is more captured on the African coasts and in greater quantities than the Mediterranean or the white one. The green lobster has a tail (which we remember contain the pulp) less developed than the others and, also for this reason, has a lower cost on the market.
Palinurus ornatus
The Palinurus ornatus is extremely rare in the Mediterranean and mainly colonizes the Indian ocean coasts; in the basin it can be found near the Israeli coasts where it makes long migrations towards the Red Sea ( lessepsian migration); this lobster has even longer blue and yellow spotted antennas, as well as the legs, and lives on sandy bottoms from 10 to 50m in depth.
Lobster - fishing and biology
Lobster is an extremely valuable crustacean. Since ancient times, the lobster has been fished and destined for consumption by the upper-middle class even if, in some historical periods, the meanings have been attributed even negative. However, to date, lobster is the most sought after fishery product and, as can be deduced, this has led to an intensive withdrawal. All the lobster species are fished with the trammel or lobster method, which in themselves do not have a particularly damaging environmental impact. On the other hand, the lobster is a sedentary and gregarious species, therefore the identification of even a single specimen can determine the concentration of the sampling and the consequent killing of an entire colony.
According to the Berne Convention - Appendix III (Law No. 503 of 5 August 1981), the Mediterranean lobster is a protected species; moreover, as foreseen by article 132 of Presidential Decree 1639/68, the Mediterranean lobster is subject to stopping fishing in the period from January 1st to April 30th, when it is likely to reach reproductive maturity. Fortunately, the lobster is a species subject to breeding, from which comes most of the specimens available on the market.
Lobster: purchase and preparation
Buying lobster requires all the specific precautions of other crustaceans; by virtue of its early perishability, even the lobster needs a consumption close to its death, after which a very rapid process of liberation of nitrogen groups is started (perceptible with a more or less intense aroma of ammonia). This means that, in order to eat a good lobster, this should be bought "alive" even if (once again we remember) there is no obligation to cook it alive; it is also logical that, if one wants to prepare it boiled, suppressing it with the use of a knife means compromising the content of physiological liquids enclosed in the head (rich in flavor). However, I believe that it can be a suitable solution to avoid unnecessary suffering to the animal being cooked.
Frozen lobsters are very common, although - like (and even more) the rest of the crustaceans - they do not have the same taste as fresh.
Lobster lends itself to all preparations but, due to its delicate and characteristic flavor, it is advisable to consume it: raw, boiled or better still steamed. Other cooking methods would significantly compromise the organoleptic and taste characteristics of the product.
Nutritional characteristics
The lobster has a very large amount of waste and the edible part is limited to less than 1/3 of the total.
The lobster is rich in high biological value proteins, it is low in lipids (most of which are polyunsaturated fats or good fats) and contains traces of sugars; lobster is an absolutely low-calorie protein food and is also suitable for slimming diets. On the other hand, due to its cholesterol content, it is a food that is not advisable for the diet against hypercholesterolemia.
Lobster is rich in water-soluble vitamins, especially thiamine, riboflavin and niacin, but values for fat-soluble vitamins are not available; lobster may also be rich in retinol equivalents.
The iron content is discreet and "should" also bring good amounts of potassium (value not available).
The lobster shell is rich in chitosan, a polysaccharide industrially treated with alkaline solutions in order to extract chitin ; the latter molecule, frequently used in the formulation of food supplements, should boast the characteristic of binding dietary fats and preventing intestinal absorption. The actual results of this application are however inconclusive.
Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
| Nutritional composition for 100 grams of edible portion Lobster, raw: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nutritional composition per 100 grams of edible portion Lobster, boiled: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bibliography:
- Fauna of the Mediterranean - G. Nikiforos - Giunti - pag 148
- Food composition tables - INRAN (National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition).
