Hobbies And Interests
Pacific-Antarctic Ridge
The yeti lobster calls the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge -- a section of the South Pacific Ocean where the Pacific and Antarctic tectonic plates overlap -- its home. These intersecting plates are located about 900 miles from Easter Island. Found through the use of the Alvin (DSV-2) submarine, the furry lobster inhabits depths of up to 7540 feet. The ambient pressure in the lobster's environment is also high, with a hydrostatic pressure of 300 atmospheres.
Basalt Substrates
The ocean floor along the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge is comprised mostly of basalt, a rock that is formed from cooled lava. The furry crustacean resides in the crevices of these basalt substrates, which have a pillow-like structure. Decorating these bedrock are tube worms, long cylindrical animals that are permanently affixed to the substrate and appearing to be more like colorful vegetation. The yeti lobster lives amongst these worms, scavenging along the ocean floor.
Hydrothermal Vent
One of the more extreme elements of the yeti lobster's natural habitat is the hydrothermal vents. Hot water rushes up from the sea floor at temperatures up to 760 F. The lobster usually lives close to three major vents sites known as "Sebastian's Steamer," "Pâle Étoile" (pale star) and "Annie's Anthill." The areas surrounding these vents can be acidic, sulfur-rich and infused with toxic minerals -- the furry lobster is one of few species that can inhabit these extreme conditions.
Food Supply
Sunlight is virtually nonexistent at the depths in which the yeti lobster lives, and is also unnecessary for the blind crustacean. The lack of light results in little plant life and phytoplankton in the creature's habitat, which are often food sources for crustaceans. Though the lobster is an omnivore, its main food source is a genus of mussels called Bathymodiolus. This mustard-yellow shellfish can be found attached to the basalt substrates.