 9 Mar 2006 @ 23:12, by Jose Overalles
A new species of lobster (or lobstah, as we say up heah in New Hampshah)
has been found more than a mile down in the South Pacific.
Robert Vrijenhoek of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in
California organised the expedition that found them. This particular lobster
is so distinct from other species that scientists have created a new
taxonomic family for it. The lobster's pincers are covered with
hair-like strands.
The foster parental units retired to the coast of Maine years ago, and one
of the great things about visiting them was that all of their neighbors were
lobtermen, and they were always getting free culls from them. So whenever
we visited, there was always one night at least when we had a lobster feast.
Lobster's got to be one of my favorite foods. Yumm. When he passed away, she
sold the house and moved into the winter home in Florida full time. I sure
do miss all of that free fresh lobster. Well, I do get a case of oranges
and grapefruits mailed to me every winter, so I guess that's something...
Did you know that in colonial times, lobster wasn't as revered a food as it
is now? It was plentiful though, and was fed to the slaves. Yes, lobster
once was slave food. For all of the hardships of slavery, it must have been
quite a laugh for the slaves that they got to eat lobster all of the time.
Or maybe not. I remember a 5th grade teacher when I was a kid who's husband
was a fireman. Before he was a fireman he was a lobsterman, and I remember
her telling us how much she HATED lobster because, well, sometimes, heck
most times, that was all they ate for dinner. So I guess it's all a matter
of taste. I know a few people that can't even bear to watch someone eat
them. They say it's like eating bugs. And then there's the humanity
issue because you've got to drop them into the boiling pot of water while
they're alive. I don't care though, the taste is worth it.
The new family of lobster's name is Kiwa hirsuta. Kiwa, for the goddess of
crustaceans in Polynesian mythology. Hirsuta for, well, just look at the pic
and you'll understand. Boy, all of those hairs would soak up alot of butter.
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