American lobster (Homarus americanus)

The American lobster (*Homarus americanus*) is the heaviest crustacean in the world, capable of growing to over 3 feet in length and weighing up to 44 pounds. These massive lobsters are typically found in the cold, deep waters of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.

While most are a mottled dark blue-green, genetic mutations can cause American lobsters to appear blue, yellow, or even bright red before cooking. The rarest is the "cotton candy" lobster, which exhibits a pale, iridescent blue or pink shell caused by a unique genetic expression of crustacyanin.

Soft-shell lobsters, often called "shedders," have recently molted their old exoskeletons, resulting in sweeter, more tender meat that is easier to crack. Hard-shell lobsters, preferred for shipping, have denser, firmer meat and can survive longer out of the water.

The species is heavily commercially harvested in the Northwest Atlantic, with the vast majority of the catch coming from the waters off the coast of Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. The Maine lobster fishery is famously one of the most sustainably managed fisheries in the world.