Albino Lobster found in Cornwall

Shell Mills from the Blue Reef Aquarium with Lily

It is estimated that only about one in 100 million lobsters are albino. One such rare creature can now be seen at a Newquay attraction.

The female lobster, nicknamed Lily by aquarists, was caught by fisherman Martin Gilbert on his boat 'Tis Hardly On' near Perranporth.

Blue Reef Curator Matt Slater says: "Lily's in fantastic condition and has got to be at least 10-15 years old judging by her size."

The lobster now lives at the aquarium.

Matt Slater says: "In the wild lobsters rely on their excellent camouflage to hide them away from predators so the big question is how Lily - whose shell is so bright it actively attracts attention - has managed to avoid ending up being eaten for so long.

Lily meets a common lobster

"One possibility is that her white exoskeleton occurred relatively recently when she last moulted but no one is sure what would have prompted such an abnormality."

All lobsters are born with a cutting and a crushing claw. There is a 50:50 chance of developing a right- or left-crusher depending upon which claw is used more frequently.

The lobster was found near Perranporth.

The lobsters prey consists of crabs, which are grabbed by the legs using the cutter claw while the crusher claw breaks open the carapace.

Lily's in fantastic condition and has got to be at least 10-15 years old judging by her size Matt Slater

Lobsters are among the planet's oldest inhabitants with fossil remains found dating back more than 100 million years. They are also extremely long-lived with some individuals reaching ages in excess of 60 years.

A lobster's claws grow much faster than the rest of its body. In one giant specimen the claws were twice the weight of the rest of the animal.

As with most members of the crustacean family, lobsters are also able to re-grow lost limbs and even re-generate missing eyes.