Are Lobsters Insects? Are Crabs?


Everyone knows and loves lobster, and in fact, some people eat lobsters. But, have you ever asked yourself whether this yummy animal is an insect or not? To get the answer to this question, continue reading.  

Lobsters and crabs are not insects. They are crustaceans. Crustaceans are related to insects because they both belong to the Arthropoda class. The two are often compared to insects because of this relation. Crustaceans differ from insects because they have claws and may lack antennae.

Even though lobsters may have similar characteristics to insects, the truth is that they aren’t one thing. Lobsters are Crustaceans that are classified as arthropods, while insects are arthropods too. But don’t confuse these two; they aren’t similar. 

Are crabs and lobsters insects?

The answer is no. Crabs and lobsters are crustaceans, making them Arthropods. They are invertebrates with a segmented body, exoskeleton, and a pair of jointed appendages. Besides, there are many types of crustaceans, such as crawfish/crayfish and shrimps.

Crabs differ from their related crayfish, shrimp, lobster, and lobster, with a noticeably shortened abdomen tucked under a wide cephalothorax. This gives them a specific, recognizable shape. On top of that, they are all crustaceans, meaning that they are similar. However, they are not insects but have similar features. 

Is lobster in the cockroach family?

Often, people say that lobsters are in the cockroach family and are related. Most probably, you’ve heard that too, but is it true? Are lobsters in the cockroach family, or is it just a myth? Let’s find out if it’s true. 

Basically, lobsters are crustaceans, while cockroaches are insects. However, they are both arthropods. In short, lobsters are not in the cockroach family (insects), even though they are both arthropods.

Since they are all arthropods, they have a few similar behavioral and biological features. We can’t say they are of the same family, but they are related. Furthermore, they tend to evolve differently. 

A Little More Facts about Lobster and Cockroaches

Although lobster and cockroaches are from different families, making them different, they share a few similarities since they had a common ancestor, which is Arthropod. A cockroach has a hard protective skeleton, and the same goes with lobsters.  

Typically, the skeleton safeguards them from any minor injuries and, at the same time giving them some protection from predators. Both lobster and cockroach are omnivorous, meaning that they eat almost anything. They can eat dead food and their own species too. 
Lobster uses the antenna to sense their environment. They can easily sense the pressure, temperature, and many more things. The same type of antenna is found in cockroaches and some other insects. This gives them a better understanding of the environment. 

Furthermore, lobster is quite bigger than the cockroach. They are eaten worldwide while cockroach is only eaten in some few parts of the world.  

Know that Lobster Are Crustaceans and not Insects

The animals known as crustaceans live in water and have a hard shell that safeguards them from minor injuries and predators. Lobster is one of the many types of crustacean, and they evolved from the Arthropod many years back. 

On the other hand, cockroaches are from the subphylum of the hexapod and live on the land. This is the major difference between lobsters and cockroaches. Since they are from different subphylum, then it means that they’re entirely different species. This is to say that they are not of the same family. 

They aren’t much related, only that they are from the same phylum, Arthropod. We can say that lobsters and crabs are very much related to cockroaches but aren’t the same. 

Why do people think cockroaches and lobsters are related?

People get confused about these two species, and they end up assuming that they are related. Even when the two of them have many things in common, they are still not related in any way. Both of them are omnivorous; they eat dead food and have many legs. 

Structurally, there are a few similarities that make people assume that they are the same. The only thing they have in common is that they are from the same phylum with a protective skeleton. Apart from that, they aren’t in any way similar or from the same family. They are two different specimens from different species. 

Are shellfish related to insects?

All insects, such as scorpions and spiders, and shellfish, belong to the same class, which is arthropods. Arthropods are invertebrates, meaning no backbone, and have an exoskeleton, jointed appendages, and segmented body.

If you are a fan of shellfish, then other animals like lobsters, shrimp, or crab won’t give you a hard time eating. This is because they are almost the same, and if you are used to eating any of them, then shellfish is a dish too. 

But, have you ever asked yourself if shellfish are related to insects or not? Shellfish are multi-legged animals that are normally found in the sea. 
Since the shellfish and insect fall under the same species, Arthropod, they are related in one way or another. Of course, they have some things in common since they are of the same species—for instance, the exoskeleton, segmented body, and many more. And if you are wondering whether shellfish are crustaceans or not, they aren’t. However, we can say that shellfish are more related to crustaceans than to insects. 

Simply put, shellfish are of two categories, which are mollusks and crustaceans. Mollusks have a soft body with calcium carbonate shells. For instance, scallops and mussels are examples of mollusks. Crustaceans have a hard outer shell with a segmented body. Examples of such animals include lobster, crab, and shrimp. In short, crustaceans are shellfish but not the other way round, so; we can say they are related. 

Since shellfish are so much like crustaceans, we can say that they are somehow related to insects. Shellfish are more related to insects than fish. They might be of the same kingdom, Animalia, but they are still not the same. Are you surprised that shellfish are related to insects than fish? It is the truth. 

All animals and plants are organized by scientists into various groups based on what they have in common. A good example is lions and tigers, who are closely related, whereas cheetahs are just their cousins. Your house cat is related to these three but is more closely to the cheetah than a lion. They are all mammals, eat meat and have sharp teeth. 

What about shellfish? Are they related to insects? As a matter of fact, they do. Shellfish and insects both belong to the same species but with different subphylum. 

What could shellfish and insects be related?

Both shellfish and insects have three body parts, thorax, head, and abdomen. Besides, they have jointed legs and without forgetting the exoskeleton. This means that they have an outer skeleton, unlike us human beings. 

Studies have shown that shellfish and insects are in one or another related. This is to imply that all crustaceans, mollusks, and insects are very closely related. 

Food for Thought

Even though the relationship is quite close, a shellfish is definitely not an insect. You should know these two animals are just related and not similar in any way. 
We only say that they have a relationship since they are all arthropods. 

Are shrimp and lobster bugs?

Of course not. Shrimp and lobster are crustaceans meaning that they are of species Arthropod. Even though bugs are arthropods, they are not of the same class as shrimps and lobster. 
Biologically speaking, they are actually different animals, but many people tend to confuse them since they are all Arthropods. 

A bug is a type of insect with three body parts making it an insect. Crayfish, lobster, crabs, and shrimp are crustaceans that come from the classification of arthropods, invertebrates with an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and paired articulated appendages (such as insects). 

On the other hand, bugs are a type of insect with an exoskeleton, jointed legs, a three-part body, compound eyes, and one pair of antennae. In short, we can say that shrimps and lobsters are very closely related to bugs, but they are not bugs. They have some features that are similar, that’s all.

A Little Info about Shrimp, Lobsters, and Bugs

Shrimps are marine animals, and the same applies to lobsters. Even though these two are not very similar in appearance, they are still marine animals. Shrimps have shells for protection. With their antenna, they can easily navigate their environment. They can easily detect predators nearby and also locate food.

All that said, bugs are insects that live on land. They have some features of insects. So, we all know that shrimps and lobsters are crustaceans while bugs are insects. And from above, we can see that crustaceans are not insects, but they are only related due to similar features. This is to say that shrimps and lobsters are not bugs, but they are only related. 

Conclusion

At this point, you know that lobsters are not insects because they are crustaceans. They might have similar features since they are all arthropods. But, they are not the same. They are two different animals. Hopefully, this guide has enlightened you, and you won’t be confused about lobsters and insects.

Nicholas Finn

I've been the captain of a fishing boat for over 20 years, and I created Pirateering to share my knowledge of and interest in seafaring.

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