Small crabs and shrimp are actively roaming the venting area.


Small crabs (~4 to 10 cm) actively roam the venting area. Japanese biologists first discovered the species in the upper right inset on a seamount at the northern end of the Mariana Arc. Its sceintific name is Austinograea yunohana, which means "flower of sulphur." The tiny vent shrimp (~1.2 in, ~3 cm) in the lower right inset are probably feeding on bacterial mat coating the rocks.

 

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