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Is That Lobster a Boy or a Girl?
How do you tell the difference between a male and female lobster? And does it really matter? Truth is, a lobster's gender makes no difference in flavor, but it's still kind of fun to know. Here are two telltale signs to look for:
- The shape of the tail: The male lobster has a very straight tail (it's the lobster on the left above); the female's tail is wider and has a slight curve.
- The first set of "baby" legs: On the male, the first set is covered in a hard shell; on the female, they're thin and feathery.
Now the next time you eat lobster, you can crush at lobster trivia.
In Related Lobster News
- Dive into our best lobster recipes.
- Learn more about buying and cooking fresh lobster.
- You might also like to check out more seafood and shellfish recipes.
And because freshness counts:
- Learn how to make sure you're choosing the freshest fish.
- If you're cooking shellfish, here's how to know if it's really fresh.
Tell us why!