A crab trail led scientists to a remarkable underwater discovery

Hydrothermal vents, also known as black smokers, are found in volcanically active areas of the seafloor, typically on mid-ocean ridges at a depth of about 2 kilometers. These are places where water with a temperature of about 400 °C, which is rich in minerals, emerges through cracks in the earth’s crust. Hydrothermal vents host extremely interesting ecosystems with many unique organisms.

Hydrothermal vents were first discovered during a US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientific expedition in 1977 off the Galapagos Islands. Today, about 550 hydrothermal vents are known in the ocean, but only about half are confirmed visually. We know about the rest thanks to chemical analyses.

Searching for the Galapagos

American scientists Schmidt Ocean Institute recently followed up on nearly 50-year-old research and searched for additional hydrothermal vent sites in the Galapagos region. About 400 kilometers north of the Galapagos, the Cocos tectonic plate collides with the Nazca plate, so it was possible to expect that other hydrothermal vents could be found at the interface of the plates.

The search began in the area where chemical traces were discovered in 2008, indicating the possible presence of hydrothermal vents. After that, the scientists followed the oxygen-poor and mineral-rich water, which narrowed their search area. Finally, it was the turn of the underwater robot, which used an unusual guide.

It was very similar to when Hagrid advised Harry Potter to follow the spiders into the acromantula’s lair. This time, however, the remote-controlled underwater robot was tracking other arthropods, crustaceans Munidoposis from the soft-tailed group (Yawns)closely related to crabs.

TIP: A whole new ecosystem: Researchers have discovered life beneath hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean

White crustaceans have led scientists to previously unknown hydrothermal vents, which span an area of ​​9,178 square meters. The researchers named the new vents “Crab Trail,” which translates to “Crab Trail”. The researchers obtained a lot of data and samples, the processing of which will certainly take several years. But it is already clear that these newly discovered vents are full of life.