Is lobster tail a different animal from lobster?

Question

A friend told me that lobster tail is a different animal from regular lobster and I would like to know if that is true or not.

Answer 1

I really wish everyone would stop acting like it's such an outlandish question, because your friend happens to be right.

If you order "lobster," you'll get a clawed lobster from the family Nephropidae, most likely an American lobster.

But if you order "lobster tail," you frequently (not always) get the tail of a spiny lobster, family Palinuridae, found in tropical oceans. They're superficially very similar to lobsters, and they're still considered crustaceans, but they lack claws.

Answer 2

Is A Lobster An Animal

Answer 3

Nope. Lobster and lobster tail are from the same creature. They just remove the less meaty parts when they cook them and give you the tail where the majority of the meat is.

You can, however, in some restaurants get a whole lobster but generally you only get the tail.

Answer 4

Lobster Tail is exactly what it says, a Lobster's Tail. Your friend is 'way off the deep end, down there with the angler fish.' lol. Nothing personal to your friend.

Answer 5

I'm sure it is the tail of a lobster.

Answer 6

Lobster tail is just that, the tail of a lobster.

LOBSTER, Homarus americanus
http://www.ocean.udel.edu/mas/seafood/lobster.html

Answer 7

No. Lobster tail, is just that. The lobster's tail.

Answer 8

Yep. Maine lobsters are typically served whole for the claw meat and such, but the lobsters down here in Florida... rock or spiny lobsters have no claws, just spikey things, you don't see too many of those served whole... or at least I haven't.....

Answer 9

Okay, really.....it is the tail of the lobster!

Answer 10

it is just the tail of the lobster, that is where the most meat is.