A typical lobster has 10 legs in total, including its big front claws.

Quick Scoop

  • Lobsters belong to a group called decapods, which literally means “ten-footed”, because they have ten legs.
  • The 2 large front claws count as legs, and behind them are 8 smaller walking legs used to move along the seafloor.
  • Lobsters also have additional small appendages under the tail for swimming and carrying eggs, but these are not counted as legs.

So if you’re wondering how many legs does a lobster have : the answer is 10, with two specialized into those big claws you see on the dinner plate.