Теңіз құбыжығы - "Йети" тарақанының сипаттамасы

Genus of crustaceans

Kiwa is a genus of marine decapods living at deep sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps. The animals are commonly referred to as "yeti lobsters" or "yeti crabs”, after the legendary yeti, because of their "hairy" or bristly appearance. The genus is placed in its own family, Kiwaidae, in the superfamily Chirostyloidea. The genus Kiwa is named after the god of shellfish in Polynesian mythology. For K. puravida, the bacteria have been identified and the feeding behaviour observed, as well as a cyclical rhythmic motion of the crab documented that is suspected to increase the flow of methane and hydrogen sulfide, the bacterial food, towards the bacteria. The two sexes of the new South West Indian Ridge species prefer different temperatures, with males seeming to prefer warmer water and egg carrying females and juveniles preferring the coldest. propodus and claws. The internal anatomy, diet, behaviors and adaptations of the Yeti Crab are outlined below.

Kiwa crustaceans play a crucial role in the deep sea ecosystem, serving as primary consumers and contributing to the biodiversity within hydrothermal vent communities. The absence of sunlight at hydrothermal vents poses a challenge to how vent species obtain energy required to sustain life. Since sunlight cannot provide the necessary fatty acids and carbon isotopes necessary for their survival, Yeti crabs rely solely on symbiotic bacteria as their main food source. Yeti crabs feed on chemosynthetic bacteria that reside on hair like setae on the outer appendages of the crustacean. Other organisms, such as Shinkaia crosnieri and Rimicaris exoculata exhibit similar dietary patterns as the Yeti crab.

Scientists have observed that K. puravida have a unique approach when it comes to farming food. This method has made the species become known as the "dancing crab". This ensures the bacteria are receiving enough chemicals that will provide energy to grow. Scientists have found that male crabs exhibit larger claws than females, suggesting that antagonistic interactions may occur between males competing for a female mate. An additional adaptation found in the species Kiwa (tyleri) is the formation of a spine on the propodus (the end of the crab leg). This is beneficial for yeti crabs because they help the crustacean to cling to steep chimneys of hydrothermal vents. The stout, compact build of the crab also helps it traverse hydrothermal vent environments. Scientists have found that male yeti crabs have larger claws than females, which may indicate that bigger claws are sexually selected for reproductive advantages. Bigger claws may also provide a better fitness advantage because they provide more surface area for symbiotic bacterial farming.