"Still White After Boiling?"... 'Ghost Lobster' Found at Odds of One in 100 Million

'Ghost Lobster' Casper Draws Attention

Distinctive Blue Spots on a White Shell

"Extremely Rare and Beautiful"

A rare white lobster, found at odds of about one in 100 million in the United States, has been relocated to a university research institute, where it will be used for studies to uncover the secrets behind its coloration.

White Shell with Blue Spots... 'Ghost Lobster' Casper

Rare White Lobster 'Casper'. New York Post · University of New England

According to the New York Post on September 28 (local time), the Maine State Aquarium in the United States recently donated a rare white lobster to the University of New England (UNE) in Maine. This lobster, called the "ghost lobster," has been named "Casper" by the research team.

Casper features a white shell dotted with blue spots. The media suggested, "Imagine what Elsa from the movie 'Frozen' would look like if she were a sea creature." Casper's translucent shell results from a lack of proteins responsible for producing pigment. Additionally, while typical lobsters turn red when cooked, albino lobsters like Casper retain their white coloration even after boiling.

Casper will reside in the UNE laboratory and participate in research aimed at uncovering the causes behind rare lobster colorations. White lobsters are extremely uncommon in the wild, with the chance of encountering one estimated at about one in 100 million.

Research on Various Lobster Colors... Genetic Analysis Related to Shell Color

Rare White Lobster 'Casper'. New York Post · University of New England

This research began in 2024. At the time, the UNE research team had acquired several lobsters with rare colors. Among them, an orange lobster named "Peaches" provided an opportunity to study the inheritance of coloration, as it gave birth to offspring of various colors ranging from the usual reddish-brown to orange and blue.

The researchers subsequently collected genetic material from the juvenile lobsters and are analyzing more than 15,000 genes related to coloration. Through this, they are identifying which genetic differences influence lobster shell color.

Markus Frederich, professor of marine sciences at UNE and lead on the study, explained that rare lobsters attract public interest "because they are extremely rare and beautiful." He added that for researchers, these lobsters offer an opportunity to study fundamental questions in biology.

The research team explained that they collect and analyze genetic material using non-invasive methods that do not harm the lobsters, ensuring that no lobsters are injured during the process.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.