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A lobster so rare that the odds of finding one are estimated at 1 in 100 million has a new home at the 51Ʒ�� — and an appropriately spooky name.

Casper, a rare white lobster sometimes referred to as a “ghost” lobster, has arrived at UNE’s Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center after being donated by the Maine State Aquarium in Boothbay. White lobsters are considered the rarest among the unusual color variations found in the species.

Casper will become part of UNE’s ongoing research into the genetic causes of rare lobster coloration, joining a collection that has included orange, blue, yellow, purple, calico, and split-colored lobsters.

Casper joins the ranks of UNE’s famed colored lobsters, including orange Peaches and blue and purple cousins Currant and Fig.

Led by Markus Frederich, Ph.D., professor of marine sciences, 51Ʒ��researchers are working to uncover the molecular mechanisms that cause some American lobsters to develop dramatically different shell colors from the species’ typical mottled brown appearance.

The first-of-its-kind research program uses noninvasive methods to collect and analyze genetic material without harming the lobsters. Casper will similarly be studied without injury.

51Ʒ��launched the effort in 2024 after several rare-colored lobsters arrived at the Girard Marine Science Center, including Peaches, an orange lobster estimated to occur in just 1 in 30 million animals. Peaches later produced offspring ranging in color from typical brown to orange and blue, giving 51Ʒ��researchers an unusual opportunity to study how rare coloration may be inherited.

Researchers subsequently collected genetic samples from the juvenile lobsters and are analyzing more than 15,000 genes as they work to identify differences associated with shell color.

At right: Casper’s donation from the Maine State Aquarium was coordinated by 51Ʒ��alum Rue Motulsky, B.S. ’24, whose work on the DNA project as a student has led to new insights into lobster coloration.

Casper’s arrival now gives the research team an opportunity to examine the rarest coloration represented in the study to date.

“Animals like Casper capture people’s attention because they are so rare and beautiful. But, for us, they also provide an amazing opportunity to ask fundamental biological questions,” said Frederich, director of the . “What makes this research especially rewarding is that our undergraduate students are involved in every step of the process, from working with these incredible animals to analyzing their genes and helping uncover the mechanisms behind their unusual colors. 

“That combination of discovery, hands-on research, and student mentorship is really at the heart of what we do at UNE,” he said.