How does the Yeti crab utilize the specialized, hair-like setae covering its claws and arms?
Answer
Cultivating bacteria on them to form a food source
The hairy appendages, or setae, that characterize the Yeti crab are crucial for its survival because they serve as a substrate for microbial life. The crab actively cultivates specialized bacteria directly on these structures. This relationship is essential because these bacteria form the base of the local food chain in the vent ecosystem, which relies on chemosynthesis rather than light-based photosynthesis. By farming these microbes on its claws and arms, the Yeti crab effectively farms its own food supply in an otherwise nutrient-poor abyssal desert.
Related Questions
When was the Yeti crab, Kiwa hirsuta, initially described and named?What geological feature dictates the absolute habitat location for Kiwa hirsuta?How does the Yeti crab utilize the specialized, hair-like setae covering its claws and arms?The initial discovery of Kiwa hirsuta was made near which major oceanic landmark?What approximate depth was reported for the discovery of Kiwa hirsuta?Which species is confirmed to be a relative dwelling in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica?What biological energy production process supports the Yeti crab ecosystem instead of photosynthesis?What is the primary physical attribute that immediately differentiated the Yeti crab from other deep-sea crustaceans?What is the specific depth range documented for the Antarctic relative, Kiwa tyleri?In which major ocean basin is the type species, Kiwa hirsuta, associated based on current knowledge?