Can curates cut up a lobster? (10)
I believe the answer is:
crustacean
'a lobster?' is the definition.
(lobster is a kind of crustacean)
'can curates cut up' is the wordplay.
'cut up' indicates an anagram.
'can'+'curates'='cancurates'
'cancurates' with letters rearranged gives 'CRUSTACEAN'.
(Other definitions for crustacean that I've seen before include "Such as a barnacle" , "Such as a crab or shrimp" , "Creature like a shrimp or lobster" , "seafood" , "Woodlouse, say" .)