Lobsters communicate by peeing on other lobsters. This might sound gross, but it’s a very important part of lobster communication. By peeing on each other, lobsters can send chemical signals that establish their territory in competition with other males, and their social hierarchy, and also let potential mates know that they’re the best choice for reproduction.
Do lobsters make sounds to communicate?
They have no vocal cords, so they can’t make sounds. However, they communicate through various methods. For instance, they rub their antennas to navigate and receive signals from other lobsters.
How do lobsters pee?
Lobsters pee out of their faces through two small holes on the sides of their heads. Their urinary gland sits under their brain, while nephrology rosette glands at the base of their antennae release urine with pheromones.
What is a pheromone?
Pheromones are chemical messages that animals use to communicate. They are released into the environment and can be detected by other animals.
In people, pheromones are thought to spark happiness or attraction toward someone. Lobsters put them to a different use. A male lobster relies on pheromones to claim territory and assert dominance, and a female uses them to show she is ready to mate.
- Chemical messages
- Humans: happiness and attraction
- Lobsters: dominance and mating
How do lobsters mate?
Male lobsters establish dominance by fighting other males. The victor releases stronger chemicals to keep rivals away and attract females.
A female lobster chooses her partner by going for the male with the strongest scent, which marks him as the dominant one. She visits his burrow and squirts a chemical cue in her urine straight at his face to signal that she is ready to mate.
The male lobster deposits spermatophores into the female’s abdomen during copulation. After two weeks together, the female leaves the burrow. She carries up to 10,000 eggs under her tail for about 9 to 12 months until they hatch.
