634 



MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



greatest weight, 34 pounds. The largest specimens captiired invariably proved to 

 be males. The number of eggs laid increases rapidly with the size of the crus- 

 tacean. The eggs are usually laid dviring July or August, or sometime later in the 

 year. All of them are extruded at one time, and are not discharged into the sea 



Fig. 



(Courtesy Wayne Buxton, Maine Development Commission) 



30-1. A female lobster carries 10,000 to 100,000 ex- 



truded eggs attached to her swimmerets for one year before 

 thev are hatched. 



water to float about until they hatch as is the case with fish spawn; instead, they 

 become attached to the swimmerets on the underside of the mother's tail by a glue 

 or cement of unknown composition, which is excreted simultaneously with the 

 spawning. The eggs remain attached to the swimmerets and gradually develop 

 for 10 to 11 months, at the end of which period the eggs hatch gradually. Hatch- 

 ing usually takes a little over a week. 



The newly hatched larval lobster possesses a short shrimplike body and ringed 

 tail stretched out almost horizontally. The larva is of glassy transparency, with 

 gleaming emerald eyes, and possesses a huge pointed snout or rostrum. Two 

 pairs of very short horns, the second pair being forked, protrude in front {antennae 



