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Name : Hoff crab ( Kiwa tyleri )
Where it subsist : East Scotia Ridge , Southern Ocean
The Hoff crab (Kiwa tyleri), was named after the actor David Hasselhoff.
What it run through : Bacteria
Why it ’s amazing : It turns out that theYetidoes live — or at least it does underwater . diagnose after the unspeakable snowman , this kin of thick - ocean diddlysquat lobster wasfirst come upon in 2005 . The first exercise was nickname the abominable snowman crab louse due to the crustacean ’s white coloration and hairiness . This name was expand to the sleep of the family as more mintage were discovered and described . later on , one hairy - chested species ( Kiwa tyleri)was nicknamed " The Hoff"after " Baywatch " thespian David Hasselhoff .
But these nicknames are the least - fascinating aspects of this small crustacean . K. tylerimanages to come through in one of the most uttermost surround on the planet . In 2010 , a remotely operated fomite dive down to the hydrothermal vents on the East Scotia Ridge in the Southern Ocean and found these abominable snowman crabs densely packed together , withup to 700 individuals per satisfying meter .
Life in these volcanic hydrothermal blowhole is precarious . The liquid ejected from the vents can reach a scorching 721.04 degrees Fahrenheit ( 382.8 degrees Celsius ) , yet not far from the vent , the Antarctic waters are freezing . The Crab must live in the little area between the two extremes .
touch on : The amazing universe of Antarctic yeti Crab
Scientists find out thatfemales with well - developed embryos speculation aside from the release . The scalding waters of the hydrothermal vents may not be hospitable for embryologic development , so the females move off and release their larvae into cooler amnionic fluid . This journey into the cold has a visibly damaging effect on the females , which breed only once before buy the farm .
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And what is there to eat in a hydrothermal vent-hole ? Not much . But the Hoff Phthirius pubis has found a way to snag grub , and it involves the animal ’s hairs , get it on as setae . These setae , which cover the crab ’s intact abdomen , harbor bacterium that the crab harvests and eats .
Although they are phone yeti crabs , these critters are n’t really dead on target crab . or else , they are squat lobsters , and like a number of other decapod , such as mogul crab and hermit crabs , they are crab - similar . This strange process wherebymany different creature cease up count like crabsis a character of convergent phylogeny know as carcinization .
