PREVIEW

A rare split-coloured lobster, estimated to occur in just one in 50 million cases, has been discovered off the coast of Cape Cod.

The crustacean was caught by a fishing crew, with Wellfleet Shellfish Company sharing details of the find in a Facebook post.

Distinctly divided down the centre, the lobster displays two contrasting colours - a vivid orange on one side and a dark, almost black hue on the other. Its claws show a blend of both tones, while one side of its legs appears more orange, and even its whiskers differ in colour.

Such lobsters are considered exceptionally rare, with scientists attributing the phenomenon to unusual genetic conditions. These can include instances where two fertilised eggs fuse early in development, resulting in a single animal carrying two separate sets of DNA. Other explanations include genetic mosaicism or pigment irregularities.

Rather than being sold for consumption, the lobster has been spared and will be “donated” to Woods Hole Science Aquarium, where “she’ll eventually be on display for the public to experience up close once they reopen.”

In the meantime, it is being cared for by specialists at the Marine Biological Laboratory, working alongside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.