The discovery of a uniquely colored lobster has captured the attention of New England, turning a culinary staple into a conservation marvel.

Recently, a Cape Cod seafood company came across a rare lobster exhibiting a striking two-toned color pattern. One side of the crustacean displays the typical brown hue, while the other side is vividly orange, creating a natural spectacle from head to tail. This remarkable find was quickly donated to a science center, ensuring its preservation and study instead of a culinary fate.

Originating from Wellfleet Shellfish Company in Eastham, Massachusetts, the lobster has been the subject of much curiosity. Curious minds have been inquiring about this peculiar creature ever since its discovery. The company decided to donate the lobster to the Woods Hole Science Aquarium in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where it will eventually be showcased to the public.

Currently, the lobster resides in holding tanks at the Marine Biological Laboratory, waiting for the aquarium to complete its renovations. Once the facility reopens, this extraordinary lobster will be on display, providing visitors a rare glimpse into an oceanic oddity that defies the norm.

The lobster was caught on April 16 off the coast of Cape Cod, a region familiar with unusual lobster sightings during the spring and summer months. However, a lobster with two distinct colors is a rarity even among such anomalies.

Typically, American lobsters are mottled brown, with variations resulting from genetic mutations that alter the proteins responsible for pigment binding. These genetic quirks can lead to blue, orange, or even calico-spotted lobsters. Some lobsters boast such vibrant colors that they’ve earned the nickname “cotton candy” lobsters.

A two-colored lobster can occur because two lobster eggs fused and grew as one animal, marine sciences professor Markus Frederich of the University of New England in Maine told The Associated Press in 2024. There are estimates about the rarity of different lobster colors, though Frederich has also cautioned that such figures are approximations.

On Cape Cod, Wellfleet Shellfish Company said it’s treating the two-colored lobster as a “remarkable and exciting find.”