What is the hairy deep-sea crustacean known as the yeti crab?

Kiwa hirsuta is a marine decapod crustacean discovered in the South Pacific Ocean in 2005. Commonly known as a yeti crab or yeti lobster, it features distinctive silky blond setae covering its legs and claws. These hair-like structures support sulphur-oxidising bacteria, which the crustacean may cultivate and use for food in its extreme deep-sea environment.

What we know

• Kiwa hirsuta is a decapod crustacean that is approximately 15 cm long and was discovered in 2005 in the South Pacific Ocean. [2]
• The species is notable for the quantity of silky blond setae covering its thoracic legs and claws, earning it the nickname yeti crab or yeti lobster. [2, 3]
• Sulphur-oxidising bacteria are found on the setae of Kiwa hirsuta, leading to the belief that the crab may feed on bacteria in addition to scavenging. [3] · medium confidence
• The genus Kiwa belongs to its own family, Kiwaidae, within the superfamily Chirostyloidea, and inhabits extreme environments like hydrothermal vents and cold seeps. [3]

Still open

• It remains uncertain whether the bacteria on the claws of Kiwa hirsuta are intentionally cultivated for consumption or simply used as an auxiliary food source through direct grazing and scavenging.

Where to go next

• how it workedHow do yeti crabs cultivate bacteria on their claws?
• a case in pointWhat is the Hoff crab and where does it live?
• the bigger pictureWhat are hydrothermal vents and cold seeps?
• whenWhen was Kiwa hirsuta first discovered?
• whereWhere in the South Pacific Ocean was Kiwa hirsuta found?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a deep-sea crab share a name with a famous television actor?Another species in the same yeti crab family was named the Hoff crab due to a dense ventral covering of setae resembling the hairy chest of actor David Hasselhoff.

Sources

• [1]Kiwa hirsuta (Wikidata Q912864) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Kiwa hirsuta · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Kiwa (crustacean) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Kiwa puravida · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Kiwa tyleri · CC BY-SA 4.0