As a massive fan of the show Friends, I am obsessed with all of the best quotes and episodes of the show, including Phoebe’s remark in the episode ‘The One with the Prom Video’ saying that lobsters mate for life: once they’re in love, they’re in love forever. Because of this, Phoebe tells Ross that Rachel is his lobster. And while this makes for a quotable one-liner and an adorable episode arc, was Phoebe right?
Do lobsters actually mate for life?
All it takes is a quick Google search to find that lobsters do not, in fact, mate for life. Whether this was an accidental mistake on the show writers’ end is unclear, but it may have been intentional. Phoebe is known for her weird quirks, and maybe her lobster story about old lobster couples holding claws was completely made up on her part.
A lobster’s love life
A lobster may be mistaken for a monogamous species because of the monogamous bond they share, even though that bond only lasts for two weeks. In actuality, male lobsters are known to mate with several female lobsters over their lifetime. The male lobster doesn’t mate with other lobsters while with his present partner, but that doesn’t stop him from finding a new lobster once the next mating season begins.
What animals do mate for life?
If Friends were to be redone today, maybe the analogy would be different. If so, what animals could be used as examples of lifelong love? There are many species known for their monogamous relationships, including beavers, gray wolves, gibbons, bald eagles, shingleback lizards and more. Phoebe was right to suggest that some species stay faithful to their partners throughout their whole lives, even if lobsters aren’t one of them.
I always thought it would be cute if my future boyfriend told me I was their lobster, but now I’m not so sure. The sentiment and reference is sweet, but despite the lack of catchiness, I think I’d rather someone tell me I’m their shingleback lizard.