1. Home
  2. Multimedia
  3. Image of the Day
  4. April 12, 2021

April 12, 2021: Squat Lobster

This squat lobster (Munidopsis spp.) had a slightly “hairy” appearance due to the fact that it is covered in bacterial mat.

Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas. Download larger version (jpg, 1.1 MB).

This squat lobster (Munidopsis spp.) had a slightly “hairy” appearance due to the fact that it is covered in bacterial mat. It was seen during a 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas dive to explore an incredible active hydrothermal vent that was 30 meters (98 feet) high and gushing high-temperature fluid full of metal particulates. In addition to squat lobsters, the vent was home to many different species, including Chorocaris shrimp, Austinograea crabs, limpets, mussels, and snails.