What symbiotic classification describes the relationship where the Yeti Crab absolutely needs the bacteria to survive?
Answer
Obligate symbiosis
The reliance of the Yeti Crab on its chemosynthetic bacterial film is classified as obligate symbiosis. This designation signifies that the dependency is absolute: the crab cannot survive in its specialized deep-sea habitat without a constant supply of food provided by the bacteria, and conversely, the bacteria require the crab's specialized physical structure and access to the vent chemicals flowing across its body to thrive. This is a tightly integrated, non-optional partnership essential for the continuity of life for this species in such an extreme locale.
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Yeti crab eating bacteria from its claws - YouTube
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