The Yeti Crab, or Kiwa hirsuta, is in the phylum arthropod. This strange crustacean lives in one of the most dangerous habitats in the ocean. This species resides near hydrothermal vents over 7,000 feet underwater near the Pacific-Antarctic ridge, south of Easter Island. At just less than six inches long, yeti crabs have beefy and compact bodies to help them adapt to the highly competitive life on the seafloor. The habitable zone in which yeti crabs can survive is dangerously small, if they are too close to the vents they will instantly die from the heat, too far and they can die of hypothermia. To stay alive, the crabs must pile on top of one another creating massive piles on the ocean floor.
The yeti crab has a very unique adaptation that allows it to find food in such a strange environment. This adaptation is also the reason for their name, the appearance of fur on their claws. It is not fur, but instead bristle like structures called setae. The purpose of these setae are to harvest food, scientists have discovered that the crab performs a “dance” by waving its claws to provide a constant flow of oxygen, methane and hydrogen sulfide, which helps bacteria grow. Their claws are also covered in chemoautotrophic bacteria, which break down chemical compounds from the vents for energy to synthesize food, much like photosynthetic plants do with sunlight. Additionally, it is so dark around hydrothermal vents that the yeti crab is blind, since there is no need for it to be able to see.
Image of Yeti Crab. Credit: missionblue.org
A group of marine biologists led by Robert Vrijenhoek first discovered the yeti crab in 2005 in the Southern Ocean using a deep-sea submersible named Alvin that is owned by the US Navy and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. The research vessel carrying Alvin was exploring the ridge near the Easter Island tectonic microplate when the discovery was made. Since their discovery is relatively recent, much still remains a mystery about the yeti crab, such as how they are able to travel across deadly, icy waters from one hydrothermal vent to the next without dying.
The yeti crab is an incredible example of how marine organisms can adapt to and thrive in environments that seem nearly impossible to support any life.
Citations:
Valinsky, E. (2013, May 14). Photo of the day ~ yeti crab. Mission Blue. https://missionblue.org/2013/05/photo-of-the-day-yeti-crab/
Yeti Crab. What’s in a Name? (n.d.). https://whatsinaname.hmnh.harvard.edu/yeti-crab
Codeadmin. (2020, December 18). The Curious Yeti Crab. Ocean Conservancy. https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2020/12/18/curious-yeti-crab/