Here I am at another Tuesday also known as creature day here at Jo’s Ramblings this week we are looking at the Yeti Crab.
Scientific name is Kiwa Hirsuta, it is about 15cm’s long it was discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific Ocean. It is known for the quality of silky blond setae which cover its body. Its discoverers named it the Yeti Crab or Yeti Lobster.
They are rarely seen and tend to flock to the thermal vents on the floor of the icy Southern Pacific Ocean to keep warm. Thousands of them crawl over each other to get close to the boiling water without scalding themselves.
Maybe because there is no sunlight where these tiny creatures live, they grow their own food by this I mean the tiny hairs on their bodies grow bacteria which they eat.
It doesn’t seem to have many predators, although some think that deep-sea octopuses and fish might find them edible.
Dearest Jo-Anne,
That is quite a unique crab with long hairs…
Sounds really cold—icy Southern Pacific Ocean and then getting close to the boiling water.
So they pick their ‘fur’ for a meal—how ingenious nature is.
Hugs,
Mariette
Yes nature is ingenious, I wonder if they get too close to the boiling water do they start to cook.
Wonder how the water in the Ocean can get to boiling—unless there is some volcanic action…
I am someone in love with creatures. I find the natural world interesting, and I am always amazed at the many things I have yet to discover.
There are so many fascinating creatures in the world
…and I hope to go on searching them out as long as I am able.