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Trail of Crabs Leads Scientists To Underwater Discovery Off Galápagos Coast

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Author Nina Howell

Hydrothermal Vents of the Western Galapagos"" Source: YouTube, Uploaded: IFLScience

Scientists have recently uncovered a previously unknown hydrothermal vent field off the coast of the Galápagos Islands, aided by a surprising guide — crabs. This new discovery adds to our understanding of these unique underwater ecosystems, where life thrives in extreme conditions.

A Trail of Crabs Leads the Way

Hydrothermal Vents of the Western Galapagos”” Source: YouTube, Uploaded: IFLScience

The research team employed advanced equipment to pinpoint potential vent locations, but it was the increasing numbers of galatheid crabs, also known as squat lobsters, that led them to the new hydrothermal vent. These white crustaceans tend to congregate around deep-sea vents. By following the crabs, scientists located the vent field within the Galápagos Spreading Center (GSC), a divergent boundary between the Cocos and Nazca tectonic plates. This area lies about 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of the Galápagos Islands.

Ode to Crabs

Galatheid crab, also known as a squat lobster. Des Colhoun, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The vent field extends over a vast area of approximately 98,800 square feet (9,178 square meters) and was aptly named “Sendero del Cangrejo”, or “Trail of the Crabs,” in recognition of the crustaceans that led the researchers to the site.

Historical Significance of the Region

Bathymetric signatures of propagating rift observed at the Galapagos Spreading Center. Yellow-dashed lines indicate morphological depressions created in the wake of propagating rifts. Bing Y. Lee, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This discovery occurred in a region rich in scientific history. It was near the Eastern GSC in 1977 that the first hydrothermal vent field was identified. The current study, however, took place in the Western GSC, where the new vent was found. This site now joins the list of around 550 known hydrothermal vents worldwide, only half of which have been directly observed. The rest are inferred based on chemical and temperature variations in ocean water.

How Hydrothermal Vents Form

Deep sea fish swimming over pillow lavas with pinking bacterial mat material. The smokey appearance is actually caused by proximity to hydrothermal vents spewing mineral-laden waters. NOAA Photo Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hydrothermal vents arise when seawater penetrates the seafloor and interacts with molten rock beneath the Earth’s crust. In regions like the GSC, where tectonic plates diverge, or in hotspots where magma rises, the water becomes superheated, absorbing minerals from the surrounding rock. This heated water then escapes through fissures in the ocean floor, often forming structures called chimneys as it cools and minerals precipitate.

Tracking the Vent’s Location

Global distribution of hydrothermal vent fields. DeDuijn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The team’s hunt for this new vent began in an area where a chemical anomaly had been identified back in 2008. According to expedition co-leader Jill McDermott, a chemical oceanographer from Lehigh University, they looked for low oxygen levels in the water, as oxygen is typically depleted through circulation in the seafloor. When they detected oxygen-poor water, it indicated they were nearing the hydrothermal vent.

Crabs Mark the Spot

Hydrothermal Vents of the Western Galapagos”” Source: YouTube, Uploaded: IFLScience

Following the chemically enriched plume of water, the team sent down a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the ocean floor, eventually spotting the dense population of galatheid crabs that guided them to the vent field.

Life Around the Vent

Hydrothermal Vents of the Western Galapagos”” Source: YouTube, Uploaded: IFLScience

Upon reaching the vent, scientists found a thriving ecosystem, characteristic of hydrothermal environments. The area was teeming with giant tube worms, which can grow up to a couple of meters long, large clams known as “dinner plate clams,” and various mussels. These creatures are adapted to survive in the extreme conditions surrounding hydrothermal vents, where sunlight is absent and organisms rely on chemosynthesis for energy.

Ongoing Research

Riftia tube worm colony Galapagos. NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Galapagos Rift Expedition, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The discovery of the tube worms was particularly exciting, as they were absent from other vent fields examined during the expedition. Co-leader Roxanne Beinart from the University of Rhode Island suggested that the variation in species between vent sites might reflect different stages of ecological succession. The team suspects that vents in other areas may have matured past the point where tube worms can survive.

Future Exploration

Inactive sulfide chimneys along the pinnacle of one tall extinct sulfide spire. It is likely that these once had billows of superheated hydrothermal fluid emanating from them. They form when minerals in the hot fluid precipitate out upon contact with seawater. NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In the coming years, the research group will analyze the data collected from this expedition. Their findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of these remote and dynamic underwater environments, offering new insights into the unique life forms that inhabit them.

See more in this video.

YouTube video
Hydrothermal Vents of the Western Galapagos”” Source: YouTube, Uploaded: IFLScience
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