Ghost lobster caught off Maine coast by trawlerman

A trawlerman in Maine was left stunned when he hauled in a rare ‘ghost lobster’.

Alex Todd reeled in the crustacean dubbed while trawling off Chebeague Island, Maine, and shared a picture of it next to a common rock lobster.

The lobster is thought to have a genetic condition caused by Leucism causing its translucent shell.

Trawlerman Alex Todd in Maine was left stunned when among his catch of the day he noticed a rare ‘ghost’ lobster staring back at him

While normal lobsters tend to be variations of red, blue or yellow thanks to their genetic protein pigments, a mutation in his caused a partial loss leading to its striking appearance.

The translucent crustacean was pulled up on August 24 and tossed back into the ocean because its tail had been notched, meaning the lobster was an egg-bearing female and thus protected.

Sharing a picture of the rare lobster on Facebook, the Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association, wrote: ‘This lobster probably has a genetic condition called Leucism which isn’t a total loss of pigment (which would make it an albino) but instead a partial loss.

Mr Todd reeled in the crustacean dubbed ‘ghost’ while trawling off Chebeague Island, Maine, and shared a picture of it next to a common rock lobster

‘This is why you can still see some hints of blue on the shell and color on the eyes.’

Adding: ‘A normal lobster gets its color by mixing yellow, blue, and red protein pigments.

‘Through different genetic mutations you can get a blue, yellow, or red (uncooked) lobster. You can also get strange mixtures of those colors as well.’

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