Yeti Crab Cultivates Bacteria On Claw, Then Eats Them 49
Pierre Bezukhov writes with some interesting news from the deep as reported in Nature: "In the deep ocean off the coast of Costa Rica, scientists have found a species of crab that cultivates gardens of bacteria on its claws, then eats them. ... The bristles that cover the crab's claws and body are coated in gardens of symbiotic bacteria, which derive energy from the inorganic gases of the seeps. The crab eats the bacteria, using comb-like mouthparts to harvest them from its bristles. ... [Scientists believe] the crab waves its claws to actively farm its bacterial gardens: movements stir up the water around the bacteria, ensuring that fresh supplies of oxygen and sulphide wash over them and helping them to grow."
The ocean is amazing. (Score:5, Interesting)
There are so many amazing creatures in the ocean. The Pom Pom crab does something kind of similar, in that it actually carries around 2 anemones in it's claws and uses them to catch food with and to defend itself. It is not born with those anemones and actually has to find them. If it loses one it attempts to split the remaining one in two, something we still have trouble with. Very interesting creature!
Further reading -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lybia_edmondsoni
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497+501+1474&pcatid=1474
http://www.aquariaworld.co.uk/invertebrates/boxer_crab.htm