The 'yeti' crab is white and hairy, as its nickname suggests, and it thrives in hydrothermal vents in Antarctica's frigid waters.
Why it's awesome: It turns out that the Yeti does exist — or at least it does underwater. Named after the abominable snowman, this family of deep-sea squat lobsters was first discovered in 2005. The first example was nicknamed the yeti crab due to the crustacean's white coloration and hairiness. This name was extended to the rest of the family as more species were discovered and described.
But these nicknames are the least-fascinating aspects of this small crustacean. K. tyleri manages to survive in one of the most extreme environments on the planet. In 2010, a remotely operated vehicle dove down to the hydrothermal vents on the East Scotia Ridge in the Southern Ocean and found these yeti crabs densely packed together, with up to 700 individuals per square meter.
Life in these volcanic hydrothermal vents is precarious. The liquid ejected from the vents can reach a scorching 721.04 degrees Fahrenheit , yet not far from the vents, the Antarctic waters are freezing. The crabs must survive in the small area between the two extremes.Scientists discovered that females with well-developed embryos venture away from the vents.
Although they are called yeti crabs, these critters aren't actually true crabs. Instead, they are squat lobsters, and like a number of other decapods, such as king crabs and hermit crabs, they are crab-like. This strange process whereby many different animals end up looking like crabs is a type of convergent evolution known as carcinization.
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