Knowra Kiwa hirsuta Kiwa hirsuta Kiwa hirsuta is a deep-sea squat lobster, commonly called the yeti crab, described in 2005 from hydrothermal vents near Easter Island. Its pale body and conspicuously hairy claws distinguish it.
Squat lobster : A group of decapod crustaceans with flattened bodies and tails folded beneath them. Kiwa hirsuta belongs to this lobster-like group, despite its common name.
Hydrothermal vent : A seafloor opening that releases geothermally heated, mineral-rich water. The species was first found near vents, where chemical energy supports food webs.
Easter Island : A remote volcanic island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, also known as Rapa Nui. The discovery site lay in deep water near this island.
Kiwa puravida : A kiwaid squat lobster found at methane seeps off Costa Rica. Its repeated claw waving is linked to farming bacteria on setae.
Anomura : A decapod crustacean group that includes hermit crabs, king crabs, and squat lobsters. This broader lineage places squat lobsters among diverse crab-like crustaceans.
Chemosynthesis : The production of organic matter using energy from chemical reactions rather than sunlight. Microbes on its setae may use vent chemicals to make organic compounds.
South Pacific Gyre : A vast ocean circulation system in the South Pacific, including some of Earth's most remote waters. The discovery expedition explored a little-known seafloor region within this ocean basin.
Kiwa tyleri : A kiwaid squat lobster living in dense populations around Antarctic hydrothermal vents. It provides a vent-dwelling comparison within the same family.
Decapoda : The crustacean order containing shrimps, lobsters, and crabs, typically with five pairs of walking legs. Its ten walking legs reflect the defining body plan of decapods.
Symbiosis : A close, persistent association between organisms of different species. The crab's relationship with bacteria is studied as a possible nutritional partnership.
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