What specialized feeding strategy defines how the Yeti Crab obtains sustenance?
Answer
Farming chemoautotrophic bacteria on its limbs
The Yeti Crab employs a unique feeding strategy best described as farming. Its hairy limbs serve as a substrate or garden bed for colonies of chemoautotrophic bacteria. These bacteria utilize the inorganic chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfide, emitted from the hydrothermal vents to create organic food energy, independent of sunlight. The crab then physically feeds by using its mouthparts to scrape or comb these bacterial mats directly off the setae covering its own appendages. This process allows the crab to cultivate a constant, mobile food supply in an otherwise food-scarce environment.
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What Exactly Is: Yeti Crab | The Crabominable Deep-Sea Crustacean
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