Yeti Crab

About the Yeti Crab

Discovered in 2005 near Easter Island. Their hairy claws cultivate bacteria that they then eat - essentially deep-sea farmers. The hair on their claws hosts dense colonies of chemosynthetic bacteria. They live near hydrothermal vents where water temperature exceeds 700 degrees C. They are blind and find their way using chemical sensors. They are so recently discovered that much of their biology remains unknown. They are found at 2,200 meters depth. Their white color comes from the lack of sunlight at their habitat depth. They wave their claws over vents to encourage bacterial growth.