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How many kinds of lobsters are there in this country, and
why are different varieties called lobster?
How many kinds of lobsters are there
in this country, and why are different varieties called lobster?

Two
kinds of lobster-like crustaceans exist in United
States waters. The "true" lobster (the American lobster) is
designated as such to differentiate it from the other form
found here, the spiny lobster. The two, from different families,
display two differences:

The
true lobster has claws on the first four legs, lacking in
the spiny lobster; the spiny lobster
has a pair of horns above the eyes, lacking in the true lobster.
To avoid confusion over common names, it is best to call the
true lobster the "American lobster," and
the spiny lobster just that. The item marketed as
"lobster tail" usually is a spiny lobster. The spiny lobster
is found in warm waters off Florida, in the West Indies, and
off southern California. Record weight for the American
lobster is 45 pounds.
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