Anyone see this thing?

[Tingy99]

Was on the local news, thinks its reef safe? :D

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/03/08/furry.lobster.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[ri]

It was found in water 7500' deep. If the thing did have eyes, I bet it would not like 400W MH's!

ri

[fat-tony]

did anyone see the special on giant squids the other night. They found a new species (similar to octopus) except it had little fins on the side of it's head for stability

[Gary Majchrzak]

How about the "Colossal Squid" Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2910849.stm

a sub adult specimen!
http://tolweb.org/tree/ToLimages/mesonychoNZ.jpg

[parkavenuereef]

Thats pretty interesting... Looks pretty wierd.. but at least its not alien looking.

[_ShotgunShrimp_]

the ocean is amazing isnt it..

[moriartiholmes]

Better version of the picture:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/fancy-a-hairy-lobster/2006/03/08/1141701553455.html

I wonder what the hairs adaptation serves.

Odds are that it either uses the adaptations for food collection, disguise or to sense it's environment.

My guess would be one of the first two. Either it is a filter feeder or mimics a filter feeder. Its short smooth body and curved back legs reminds me of a hermit crab, keeping its body attached and protected to or in something. I wish they listed the contents of a gut examination or at least a pic of the mouth. Till then it's all guesses. Interesting find regardless.

[RandyO]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6913602#post6913602 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by moriartiholmes
Better version of the picture:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/fancy-a-hairy-lobster/2006/03/08/1141701553455.html

I wonder what the hairs adaptation serves.

Odds are that it either uses the adaptations for food collection, disguise or to sense it's environment.

My guess would be one of the first two. Either it is a filter feeder or mimics a filter feeder. Its short smooth body and curved back legs reminds me of a hermit crab, keeping its body attached and protected to or in something. I wish they listed the contents of a gut examination or at least a pic of the mouth. Till then it's all guesses. Interesting find regardless.



I would guess they are environmental sensors. If it's blind, it has to find a way to get around and feed. I would bet they have a use similar to dogs ands cat's whiskers. It has some hairs on it's legs as well. It's a lot easier to feel around with your legs to walk, but to catch prey, you would need more sensors, which is why I would guess it has so many on it's arms. It's possible it lives in a cave or hole with only it's arm's extended out.

Very cool. Thanks for the link

[Kent E]

Lobster thing is cool but that squid freaks me out.

[dalbrecht]

It reminds me a giant orangutang crab, I wouldn't be suprised if it fed off of some form of marine snow. I don't know of any other lobster with limbs like that.

[grunt187]

We were looking at that yesterday also. I wonder if the front pincers are always extended like that or if it can pull them back like normal? I thought it looked like an orangutang also.