The first known species of yeti crab that lives in the deep ocean thermal vents around Antarctica has been found. The discovery was reported by Sven Thatje from University of Southampton and colleagues in the edition of the journal Public Library of Science. The discovery does not mean the crab is a recent occupant of the Antarctic. The find is the result of improved equipment that allows scientists to more easily explore extreme environments.
The Kiwa tyleri species of yeti crab is really a lobster from the group Kiwaidae. The yeti crabs are known to prefer the environment in and near geothermally heated hydrothermal vents. The crabs usually become the dominant species and have been known to have as many as 700 specimens per square meter. The animal is called a yeti crab because it has a very dense covering of bristles called setae that along with bacteria make the animal look furry.
The furry appearance is a predatory advantage that allows the yeti crab to feed on bacteria in and around thermal vents that are the animal’s main food source. The yeti crab is for all intents and purposes trapped in the environment around geothermal vents. The water outside the vents is too cold for the animals to live in for long periods of time. Females venture into the cold water to lay eggs because the heat near the vents would destroy the eggs. The crabs in any given areas of the Antarctic are a family that is millions of years old.
