Lobsters are fascinating creatures that have captured our culinary interest for centuries. But with many different types of lobsters and lobster-related terminology, it can get confusing to know what to call them This article will provide a guide to help you understand the various names and terms used for lobsters
The Many Names of Lobsters
The most common terms used when referring to lobsters in a culinary context are
- Lobster – The generalized term for all lobster species. Most often refers to claw lobsters of the Nephropidae family.
- American lobster – The Homarus americanus species found off the Atlantic coast of North America. Also known as the Maine lobster.
- European lobster – The Homarus gammarus species found across the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
- Spiny lobster – Lobsters of the Palinuridae family that lack claws. Also known as rock lobster or langouste.
- Slipper lobster – Lobsters of the Scyllaridae family that lack claws and have flattened antennae.
There are many other lobster species with more localized common names like the Cape lobster, Caribbean lobster, and Moreton Bay bug
Anatomy Terminology
When talking about lobster anatomy, here are some key terms to know:
- Carapace – The hard upper shell that covers the cephalothorax.
- Cephalothorax – The head and thorax fused together.
- Abdomen – The tail portion of the lobster.
- Antennae – Long sensory appendages on the head.
- Antennules – Shorter sensory appendages near the antennae.
- Rostrum – The spiky projection at the front of the carapace between the eyes.
- Telson – The fan-shaped end portion of the tail.
- Pleopods – Appendages on the abdomen used for swimming.
- Chelae – The claws or pincers.
Stages of the Molting Process
Lobsters periodically shed their rigid exoskeletons in a process called molting. The stages in between molts are called:
- Soft-shell – A lobster that has recently molted and has a new pliable shell.
- Paper-shell – The shell has begun to harden but still has some flexibility.
- Hard-shell – The shell is fully hardened and provides armor-like protection.
Common Lobster Dishes
Some popular ways lobsters are cooked and served include:
- Boiled/steamed lobster – Whole lobster boiled or steamed then served with drawn butter.
- Lobster roll – Lobster meat served warm with mayo and spices on a split-top bun.
- Lobster bisque – A creamy soup made with lobster stock and sherried lobster meat.
- Lobster mac and cheese – Macaroni and cheese casserole with lobster meat.
- Lobster ravioli – Ravioli stuffed with a lobster meat filling.
- Lobster risotto – Arborio rice cooked in lobster broth and mixed with lobster meat.
So next time you encounter one of these delicious crustaceans, you’ll know exactly what to call it! Let us know if this guide helps explain some of the lobster name confusion.
As buyers turn to less expensive langostino, species indentification gets muddled
As a Lenten deal, Buttered Lobster Bites were added to Long John Silver’s menu, making it the latest restaurant to offer langostino. The item’s Feb. 27 debut was a big hit among the quick-service chain’s patrons (see Newsline, p. 8). But it also caused consumers to wonder what langostino really is. One newspaper columnist quipped, “For all I know [langostino is] Italian for lobster. ”.
Actually, langostino is Spanish for “little lobster. Even though langostino meat tastes and feels like lobster meat, it is not the crustacean that Americans usually call “lobster.” American, Maine, and spiny lobster are those species.
The langostino debate is nothing new. Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill was sued ten months ago for using only langostino in its Lobster Burrito and not listing it as such on the menu. A month before the lawsuit was filed, the name of the item was changed to Langostino Lobster Burrito. But that’s not to say consumers are any less confused. Following are a few questions buyers should consider when menuing or retailing langostino.
Q. How are langostinos and American and spiny lobsters related?
Langostinos are in the same order, Decapoda, and suborder, Pleocyemata, as American and spiny lobsters but different infraorders.
American lobsters are in the Astacidea infraorder, while spiny lobsters are in the Palinura infraorder.
Langostinos are in the Anomura infraorder, with and hermit and porcelain crabs, and in the Galatheidae family.
Anomurans are superficially crab-like. Anomurans, on the other hand, don’t have true crabs’ last pair of “walking” legs, which is shorter and hidden under the carapace. This makes it look like they only have four pairs of walking legs instead of five.
Larry Lovell, a senior scientist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, says that Chile sells two species of galatheid crab as langostino. “One is pelagic, the tuna or red crab, the other is benthic, or bottom dwelling. These two species are what Rubio’s uses. ”.
Lovell is talking about Pleuroncodes monodon, also known as the langostino colorado, and Cervimunida johni, also known as the squat lobster or langostino amarillo (Spanish for “yellow”).
Also, Pleuroncodes planipes and Munida gregaria are two other species of galatheid crab that are sold as langostino in El Salvador and New Zealand, respectively.
According to one U. S. importer, El Salvador increased exports of P. plans to sell langostino to the US after Chile cut its quota a few years ago to protect the resource. The El Salvadoran species is marketed as langostino. M. gregaria is called squat lobster, lobster krill and New Zealand langostino.
“It’s simply a matter of semantics and name/language usage from different parts of the world,” explains Lovell. “Another example of semantics is the use of prawn vs. shrimp. As the seafood industry has gone global, language use has followed the product from the country of origin. ”.
To make matters even more confusing, Europe yields a lobster-like crustacean the French call “langoustine. ” But it’s not a langostino; it’s a “lobsterette” (Nephrops norvegicus). The species is also known as scampi, Norway lobster and Dublin Bay prawns.
Q. Can langostino be labeled as lobster?
No. The Food and Drug Administration says that the word “lobster” can’t be used to describe langostino without adding “langostino” or “squat” to it.
“It would be confusing to consumers,” says an official at the FDA’s Office of Seafood. When we decide what’s okay and what’s not, the main thing we check is whether the name is misleading. ”.
When Americans think of “lobsters,” they think of American lobsters (Homarus americanus) and spiny lobsters (Panulirus spp. and Jasus spp. ), not langostinos, she says.
If you want to know what names are okay for langostino on the market, you can call the Office of Seafood or go to the Seafood List (www. cfsan. fda. gov/~frf/seaintro. html) and type “langostino” in the search field. The FDA says that the market or common name of a species should be used instead of the vernacular name.
Only three langostino species are currently listed on the FDA’s Seafood List: P. monodon, C. johni and M. gregaria. More species will be added to the list in the near term, says the official.
Q. Are langostino and American lobster meat similar in taste and texture?
“The taste of the [tail] meat is pretty similar,” says Lovell.
“I think they taste and eat pretty much the same,” he told National Public Radio last year. They just have different tail sizes. One has a bigger tail and the other has a smaller tail. ”.
The edible morsel of meat in langostino is found in its inch-long tail. It has a sweet, delicate flavor more like lobster or crab. But its texture resembles shrimp more than lobster.
Q. What attracts foodservice operators to langostino?
The size of a langostino tail is ideal for restaurant operators looking for bite-sized portions of meat.
Moreover, “langostino [tail meat] is well under half the price of lobster,” says the importer.
American lobster prices remain extremely high. Last month, frozen American lobster tails were tagged in the $15 to $18 range per pound. IQF langostino tails are usually marked in the $7 to $8 range.
“People tell us they can’t get enough lobster,” says Don Gates, who is in charge of marketing at Long John Silver’s. “But they don’t have $20 to spend or an hour to waste in order to get it. ”.
Click on the blue banner below for a printable Lobster vs. Langostino infographic.
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What are the parts of a lobster called?
Carapace: The main body of a lobster from its eyes to the start of its tail. Claws: The more familiar name of a lobster’s front legs is its claws, which are used to fight off predators and catch food. The larger of the two claws is called a crusher, and the smaller one is a pincer. Cock and Hen: Male and female lobster, respectively.
What is a female Lobster called?
Hen: Female lobster. Cock: Male lobster. Paquette: A French term for a female lobster with fully formed eggs. The lobster is deemed most succulent at this stage and commands a high price. Pistol: A lobster that has lost its claws, usually due to predators. Luckily, lobsters regenerate their claws.
What is a lobster claw called?
Claws: The more familiar name of a lobster’s front legs is its claws, which are used to fight off predators and catch food. The larger of the two claws is called a crusher, and the smaller one is a pincer. Cock and Hen: Male and female lobster, respectively. Culls: A lobster that has lost one or both claws is called a cull.
What is the tastiest part of a lobster?
The claws of hard-shell lobsters are full of tender, sweet meat. Knuckles: The two joints connect the large claws to the carapace. Connoisseurs say the knuckle meat is the tastiest. Tails: The tail holds the biggest piece of meat in the lobster. Digestive System: Lobsters have a three-part digestive system – foregut, midgut, and hindgut.