# How close are lobsters and cockroaches? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2018, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176 "2018-07-18T23:31:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/21 "2018-07-19T20:38:21Z")
They are the same, in a hugely zoomed out grand view sense. Shrimp Lobster Crab, Cockroach Spider and Grasshopper are all related, but for a common ancestor directly linking them all, you are going back mega millions of years. But cockroach is of the insect branch of the family (which is very diverse), lobster is most definitely not. Giant bugs though is kind of an all in the mind type of thing Many people do eat insects, it was never put in their minds that it was some skeevy nasty thing, for other people it was. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/22 "2018-07-19T20:57:06Z")
> [@Weisshund](#): > > They are the same, in a hugely zoomed out grand view sense. Yes, but in that “grand view” sense humans are the same as fish. > [@](#): > > Shrimp Lobster Crab, Cockroach Spider and Grasshopper are all related, but for a common ancestor directly linking them all, you are going back mega millions of years. All multi-cellular life is thought to be related less than 900 million years back, so no. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/23 "2018-07-19T22:09:22Z")
During the last swarm emergence, there was talk in the local papers about whether the Cicadas are edible. One article warned that those who are allergic to shrimp are probably also allergic to cicadas. So from an edibility standpoint, there may be less difference than taxonomy would indicate. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/24 "2018-07-20T11:52:53Z")
Not to speak for **MichaelEmouse** , but he did appear to be referring to “anatomy, behavior and niche” and not genetics. Obviously, decapod crustaceans are far removed genetically from hexapod insects. But convergent evolution can bring disparate species closer to each other ecologically. Also obviously, lobsters live in the sea while cockroaches live on land, but it still might be worth wondering if lobsters are the cockroaches of the sea. Kind of like wondering what land predator most resembles the Great White Shark in behavior and niche. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/25 "2018-07-20T12:15:06Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > Kind of like wondering what land predator most resembles the Great White Shark in behavior and niche. Cats ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/26 "2018-07-20T12:49:58Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > Not to speak for **MichaelEmouse** , but he did appear to be referring to “anatomy, behavior and niche” and not genetics. Obviously, decapod crustaceans are far removed genetically from hexapod insects. But convergent evolution can bring disparate species closer to each other ecologically. > > Also obviously, lobsters live in the sea while cockroaches live on land, but it still might be worth wondering if lobsters are the cockroaches of the sea. Kind of like wondering what land predator most resembles the Great White Shark in behavior and niche. > Powers &8^] You have spoken very well for me. A tyrannosaur, a tiger and a great white shark are obviously genetically different but have similarities. For example, how similar are the nervous system of cockroaches and lobsters? What type of thing do they eat? What’s their brood size? Do they have similar eye/antenna ratio? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/27 "2018-07-20T13:41:43Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > You mean genetically or in flavour? Or friendship? Christmas-card-only level? ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/28 "2018-07-20T13:43:43Z")
Since lobsters were traditionally a food of the poor, it makes a lot of sense. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/29 "2018-07-20T14:09:40Z")
Mainers sometimes refer to lobsters as “cockroaches.” ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/30 "2018-07-21T01:19:52Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > … IMEIO … What does this mean? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/31 "2018-07-21T02:05:30Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > You have spoken very well for me. A tyrannosaur, a tiger and a great white shark are obviously genetically different but have similarities. > > For example, how similar are the nervous system of cockroaches and lobsters? What type of thing do they eat? What’s their brood size? Do they have similar eye/antenna ratio? [Lobsters like to eat crabs, clams, mussels, starfish, smaller fish, and sometimes even other lobsters](https://umaine.edu/lobsterinstitute/education/kids-page/lobsters/). While I’m sure cockroaches wouldn’t mind that diet, it probably isn’t a regular meal for most of them. A lobster has [5,000 to 100,000](https://mlcalliance.org/all-about-lobster/lobster-101-reproduction-and-life-cycle/)eggs at a time. A cockroach may lay[150 eggs](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_cockroach)in a lifetime. The antenna/eye ratio in lobsters is 2/1 and in cockroaches 1/1. As for nervous systems, both lobsters and cockroaches have a venrtal nerve chord instead of dorsal as in chordates, but that is equally true for all other decapids and hexapods and in no way distinctive of lobsters and cockroaches. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/32 "2018-07-21T02:34:07Z")
A more likely water-based cockroach analogue is shrimp. Shrimp are also tiny scavengers who feed on effluent (i.e. poo), crumbs\*, and garbage\*\*. \*or the sea-going equivalent. Picture a shark feeding: bits of flesh get flung off and fall towards the seafloor. Any bit that falls off a meal is probably lost to that diner. \*\* stuff left behind by other animals: corpses, abandoned shell-casings, etc. (yes, you can actually fire a shotgun underwater :P). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/33 "2018-07-21T14:28:17Z")
I live for the day when lobsters start infesting my house. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/34 "2018-07-21T14:39:06Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I live for the day when lobsters start infesting my house. [You can get small ones in your lawn](http://tkingfisher.tumblr.com/post/143823246813/behold-the-horrid-glory-of-craw-bob-the-lawn). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/35 "2018-07-21T16:15:51Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [You can get small ones in your lawn](http://tkingfisher.tumblr.com/post/143823246813/behold-the-horrid-glory-of-craw-bob-the-lawn). I actually had this happen during wet seasons near Houston. It’s kind of unnerving to look down the hole in your lawn and see them menacingly waving tiny pincers at you. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/36 "2018-07-21T18:30:18Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > …IMEIO … > > > [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > > > What does this mean? Bumped. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/37 "2018-07-21T18:31:47Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > … > > \*\* stuff left behind by other animals: corpses, abandoned shell-casings, etc. (yes, you can actually fire a shotgun underwater :P). I actually read this initially as a normal reference to shells cast off from molting animals. Which I believe is true also. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/38 "2018-07-21T19:18:41Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > … IMEIO … > [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > What does this mean? It means “I’m trying to sing Old MacDonald but I can’t remember the last bit”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/39 "2018-07-21T19:37:10Z")
“In my ego inflamed opinion” … there’s not one trace of humility in any opinion I post on the internet … no pride either … it’s all pure ego … Goes to show you who’s the honest one here … ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176/40 "2018-07-21T20:24:02Z")
Cockroaches are pretty distant. But the category of things that most would call “bugs” includes crustaceans. In particular, the [pill bug/roly-poly/woodlouse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlouse) is a crustacean. The [giant isopod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_isopod) is closely related. The lobster is a couple more steps away (but shares the class [Malacostraca](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malacostraca)). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-close-are-lobsters-and-cockroaches/818176.md?page=3)