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![Lost World Antarctica: yeti crabs]()
These yeti crabs seem to cultivate "gardens" of bacteria on their chests, which are covered with hairy tendrils. These bacterial mats almost certainly provides the crabs with sustenance.![Lost World Antarctica: Anemones bacteria and barnacles E9]()
Scientists doing their first exploring of deep-sea vents in the Antarctic found the crabs -- along with a whole world populated by new species of anemones and predatory sea stars.![Lost World Antarctica: Black smoker E2]()
In the dayless world of deep-sea vents, energy comes not from the sun but from the hydrothermal energy generated in the oceanic crust -- and vents through so called "black smokers" like this one.![Lost World Antarctica: South Georgia ADR]()
A view of South Georgia island, considered one of the more "temperate" islands and a great spot to see Emperor and King penguins.![Lost World Antarctica: King penguin South Georgia ADR]()
Above the freezing seas, a King Penguin catches rays on South Georgia island.![Lost World Antarctica: Humpback whale with eye ADR]()
A humpback whale skims just below the surface of the waves.![Lost World Antarctica: RRS James Clark Ross ADR]()
Dives with a remotely operated vehicle designed to brave the icy waters were conducted with the help of the crews of RRS James Cook and RRS James Clark Ross.![Lost World Antarctica: Isis ROV ADR]()
Named Isis, the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) allowed exploration of the East Scotia Ridge deep beneath the Southern Ocean -- where hydrothermal vents including "black smokers" reach temperatures of up to 382 degrees Celsius.![Lost World Antarctica: ROV control room 2 ADR]()
A control room where scientists monitor the view from the ROV, deep beneath the waves.![Lost World Antarctica: Minke whales ADR]()
Meanwhile on the ocean surface, Minke whales cavort and play in the cold water.![Lost World Antarctica: Vent predators - sea stars]()
Back beneath the waves, a previously undescribed seastar with seven arms -- a predator that inhabits the warm waters near the vent -- crawls across fields of stalked barnacles.![Lost World Antarctica: Vulcanolepas and Kiwa]()
Esoteric anemone such as these Vulcanolepas and Kiwa also dwell in the cold dark ocean.Creatures of the 'Lost World': Found at Antarctic Vents
Species of creatures previously unknown to science have been discovered on the seafloor near Antarctica, clustered in the hot, dark environment surrounding hydrothermal vents.
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- Creatures of the 'Lost World': Found at Antarctic Vents
