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Xenograpsus testudinatus Hydrothermal Vent Crab

This is a shallow water hydrothermal vent crab (Xenograpsus testudinatus), size less than 1cm. This species lives in sulfur-rich, anaerobic waters associated with active hydrothermal vents. The white particles in the water have been ejected along with gas bubbles from crevices among the rocks. The white hair on the crab comprises bacterial growth. Hot water emerging from the vents results in complex thermoclines that obscure visibility. As is the case with deepwater ocean vents, shallow sites host a range of bacteria that make use of sulfur as an energy source. First described in Taiwan, this crab species has been confirmed in several locations in Japan as well. This photograph is from Showa Io-jima in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.

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xenograpsus-testudinatus-hydrothermal-vent-crab-japan-202306-0048.tif
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Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
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Contained in galleries
Marine Life | Japan, Crustaceans
This is a shallow water hydrothermal vent crab (Xenograpsus testudinatus), size less than 1cm. This species lives in sulfur-rich, anaerobic waters associated with active hydrothermal vents. The white particles in the water have been ejected along with gas bubbles from crevices among the rocks. The white hair on the crab comprises bacterial growth. Hot water emerging from the vents results in complex thermoclines that obscure visibility. As is the case with deepwater ocean vents, shallow sites host a range of bacteria that make use of sulfur as an energy source. First described in Taiwan, this crab species has been confirmed in several locations in Japan as well. This photograph is from Showa Io-jima in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
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