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From Planktonic Larva to Juvenile Lobster: Larry’s Transformation Aboard SSV Corwith Cramer
Over the past four months a lobster named Larry called Sea Education Association’s SSV Corwith Cramer home. During his time aboard, Larry grew from a stage III planktonic larva measuring 5mm to a juvenile lobster measuring just over 40mm in length and captured the hearts of students and crew alike.
In early July, students participating in one of SEA’s high school SEA Expedition programs discovered a stage III lobster larva in their neuston net, a common find during the summer months near Cape Cod. Typically, these tiny critters are returned to the ocean, but the high school students of SEA Expedition I were eager to keep one in the ship’s small aquarium to observe its growth.
Over the summer, students witnessed Larry’s rapid development as he molted several times and progressed through key transformative stages. Upon reaching stage IV, Larry displayed new claws in an extended pose reminiscent of Superman while he retained his striking bluish-green color and continued to navigate the water column. As he molted into a post-larval stage (juvenile stage), Larry settled along the “seafloor” of the aquarium, and built a small burrow. As he transitioned from larva to post-larval stage, Larry’s colors evolved to a brownish-red and green color and he began to resemble a tiny lobster. He became more active at night, scavenging for food as students provided a diverse diet of amphipods, brittle stars, segmented worms, small snails, and even salps. As Larry grew more confident and comfortable, students had the pleasure of witnessing his behavior, like the time he struggled to grip an anemone and ultimately ejected it from his den in what appeared to be frustration.
In the fall, Proctor Academy’s Ocean Classroom took on the responsibility of daily aquarium maintenance, including water changes and feeding. As the Ocean Classroom students and crew sailed to Baltimore and back, Larry became an integral part of the community, making several public appearances, hosting a Science Charades/Pictionary game show, and promoting the Halloween celebration.
Marine Technician Nora Jackson shared, “Watching Larry grow over the summer and fall with so many students involved in his life on Cramer was incredibly special, and also makes it harder to say goodbye.”
As the Cramer returned to Woods Hole, with Larry having reached 40mm in overall length, students and crew knew it was time to send him off on his next big adventure. After being acclimated to local water temperatures, Larry was released along the rocky shores of Nobska Beach during low tide on November 3rd.
Students and crew gathered for the emotional farewell, wishing Larry “fair tides and happy feeding.” His cautious but curious nature bodes well for his survival as he returns to his ocean home, a little bigger and perhaps wiser from his time onboard Cramer.
The opportunity for students to witness larval and post-larval behavior of lobster not only provided a hands-on learning experience, but also allowed them to gain a deeper understanding of the intricate life cycles of ocean creatures. Larry’s journey serves as a reminder of the profound connections SEA students make with marine life and the ocean.