Scientists make unbelievable discovery after spotting trail of crabs at the bottom of the ocean

Scientists have made a significant discovery in the Galápagos Islands, a long-sought finding facilitated by the presence of certain crabs. In 2008, a team of researchers identified a chemical anomaly, prompting an exploration of the general Galápagos Spreading Center (GSC) region. The Schmidt Ocean Institute coordinated the research, and Jill McDermott, a chemical oceanographer from Lehigh University, detailed the search for low-oxygen water lenses caused by seafloor circulation.

Using a remotely operated vehicle to examine the seafloor, the scientists tracked oxygen-poor, chemically enriched water. Surprisingly, they encountered squat lobsters, scientifically known as galatheid crabs (genus Munidoposis), which unintentionally led them to a hydrothermal vent. The trail of these crabs revealed a previously unknown field, named 'Sendero del Cangrejo' or 'Trail of the Crabs,' situated between the Cocos and Nazca tectonic plates, approximately 250 miles north of the Galápagos Islands.

 

Following the white crabs, researchers unveiled a sprawling 98,800-square-foot field, reminiscent of the area where the first-ever hydrothermal vent was discovered in the late 1970s. Hydrothermal vents, numbering over 500 globally, can only occur in volcanic regions. Cracks in the sea floor permit water to flow through the ocean crust, heated by Earth's magma chambers, reaching temperatures up to 400°C before returning to the ocean via hydrothermal vents.

Due to the inhospitable environment near hydrothermal vents, only a few organisms, such as crabs and tube worms, can survive. The expedition, co-led by Roxanne Beinart from the University of Rhode Island, also observed tube worms, clams, and mussels in the vent field. Giant tube worms, reaching several meters in length, as well as large clams and mussels, were among the diverse marine life identified. Additionally, mollusks and octopuses were noted to inhabit the vicinity of hydrothermal vents.