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Rare six-claw lobster caught

A rare six-claw lobster will go on public display at an aquarium this week shortly after it was caught off the coast of Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Capt. Peter Brown and fisherman Richard Figueiredo noticed something was awry when they caught the nearly two-kilogram, ten-year-old crustacean on board lobster fishing vessel The Rachel Leah.

The lobster has one normal claw on it's right side but an Edward Scissorhand-like claw that splays into five finger-like pincers on it's left.

Lola's right side has a regular claw, whilst it's left side has a finger-like set of pincers. Photo: Maine State Aquarium
Lola's right side has a regular claw, whilst it's left side has a finger-like set of pincers. Photo: Maine State Aquarium

The men nicknamed the rare lobster 'Lola'.

“This claw deformity is a genetic mutation,” said Aimee Hayden-Roderiques of Maine State Aquarium.

“Sometimes they have this throughout their life, sometimes this happens during a regeneration from a damaged or lost claw.”

David Libby, a marine scientist with over 40 years of experience working with marine life, said the unique lobster was the first he had seen.

Lola's claws side by side. Photo: Maine State Aquarium
Lola's claws side by side. Photo: Maine State Aquarium

“Sometimes the genes will just get a little mixed and it will grow a funny claw, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.

Maine State Aquarium where the six-claw lobster will live also houses two other lobsters with similar deformities.

Marine biologists are unsure whether Lola's extra claws will be an advantage or a hinderance to it's survival amongst other marine life.