American lobster is a crustacean with a large shrimp-like body and 10 legs, two of which are large, strong claws.
One claw is a big-toothed crusher claw for pulverizing shells, and the other is a finer-edged ripper claw, resembling a steak knife, for tearing soft flesh.
Male and female lobsters can be distinguished by the first pair of swimmerets (pleopods) on the upper portion of the underside of the tail. The male swimmerets are larger and more rigid. The female swimmerets are softer, smaller, and have rounded edges.
Lobster is not fishy tasting but has a mildly salty, ocean-like taste (brininess) similar to that of crabs and shrimp. The meat is tender with a slight sweetness. The texture falls somewhere between the firm, chewiness of shrimp and the flakiness of crab, depending on which part of the lobster you are eating.
