This Translucent ‘Ghost Lobster’ Caught By Fishermen Is Freaking Us Out

We’ve seen some crazy stuff come out of the water, but this ghost lobster tops them all in spookiness.

Maine fisherman Alex Todd caught this translucent crustacean while on a fishing trip last month. A definite rare find, Todd took photos of the pale lobster and shared them with the Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association. The ghastly lobster photos quickly went viral, as did the MCFA’s explanation as to how this occurred.

Typically, a lobster has yellow, red, and blue pigments that can blend to form a variety of colors. Usually, the mixture results in a reddish-brown hue. This “ghost lobster,” however, likely came to being because of a lack of pigments.

“This lobster probably has a genetic condition called Leucism which isn’t a total loss of pigment (which would make it an albino) but instead a partial loss. This is why you can still see some hints of blue on the shell and color on the eyes.”

To put it into perspective, you have a one in a hundred million chance of finding a true albino lobster. Nonetheless, this crustacean is still a rare find.

Sadly, Todd didn’t get to actually keep his translucent catch. Its tail was notched to indicate it was an egg-bearing female, marking the lobster as off-limits for catching.

Thus, the spectral crustacean went back into the water, where it’ll likely freak out somebody else who fishes it up again one day.