What copper-based protein transports oxygen in the lobster's circulatory fluid?
Answer
Hemocyanin
Lobsters utilize an open circulatory system where their blood directly bathes the organs, rather than being strictly confined within vessels. A distinctive feature of this fluid is its color; it is normally clear or greyish when inside the body. The characteristic blue coloration only manifests when the blood is exposed to oxygen. This color change is due to the oxygen-carrying molecule within the circulatory fluid, which is the copper-based protein known as hemocyanin. This contrasts sharply with the iron-based hemoglobin found in vertebrates, which is responsible for the red coloration of their blood.
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