Lobster

The work of a curious fellow
   
Lobsters are quite often ready to fight, or at least to bluff, when faced with an unsettling circumstance. This individual had been munching on a bait bag suspended from the ROV tether when we began to retrieve it. The disappearance of the bag was blamed on the ROV by the lobster and it set out to teach us a lesson.
Lobster blames ROV
Lobster blames ROV
When you play this video, notice the lower right corner of the screen. You will see a lobster resting in a little cave under a rock with just its face and claws showing. In a few seconds the scent of the bait wakes it up and it homes in on the bait quickly. Not wanting to lose such fresh bait, which would certainly happen if the lobster gets hold of it, we pull it away from the lobster's reach.
Lobster meal on hook
Lobster meal on hook
Quite often a lobster's first reaction to finding our bait bag is to grab it and give it a good pull. When it finds the bag too heavy to move and too strong to tear apart it will settle down to munch on the bait through the bag mesh.
Lobster and bag of rocks
Lobster and bag of rocks
In case you did not see this episode on the crab page, we include it here under "Lobster". The crab expolits a weakness in the lobster to drive it away from the bait. We have seen other animals take advantage of the sensitivity to touch of the lobster's tail flipper fringe. Watch what happens when the crab after leaving the scene approaches the lobster from behind.
Lobster goosed by crab
Lobster goosed by crab
The lobster may also use its emergency escape mechanism when threatened from the front. In this clip we pursue the lobster with the ROV for a short distance.
Lobster pursuit by ROV
Lobster pursuit by ROV
Lobsters come into the traps to get the bait. After eating their fill, or more likely after being nudged off the bait by the next lobster coming along, they either find their way out or take the easy path into the interior chamber of the trap, called the parlor. Once in the parlor it is unlikely that they will escape unless they are small enough to fit through the opening through which we are looking.
Lobsters in trap
Lobsters in trap
When a lobster is disturbed while resting in the the little home it had made for itself, often its first reaction is to come out and confront the threat. Sometimes it will actually attack the ROV. More often it will wave its claws at us in warning and settle back into its hole.
Lobster excursion
Lobster excursion
Even a gang of lobsters shows some respect to a realy big Jonah crab. This crab drove three lobsters off the bait bag initially before allowing one of them to work the back side of the bag.
Lobsters and crab
Lobsters and crab
The ROV kept pursuing this lobster until it had enough. The lobster delivered a hearty slap in the face to the ROV.
Lobster and ROV
Lobster and ROV
We dropped a bag of artificial lobster bait down in front of this lobster's hole. It is exploring it with a claw.
Lobster claw on bait bag
Lobster claw on bait bag
Here another lobster leaves his digs and approaches a bag of artificial bait.
Lobster approaching bag
Lobster approaching bag