Hairy Lobster Discovered

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Original Article.

PARIS — A team of American-led divers has discovered a new crustacean in the South Pacific that resembles a lobster and is covered with what looks like silky, blond fur, French researchers said Tuesday.

Scientists said the animal, which they named Kiwa hirsuta, was so distinct from other species that they created a new family and genus for it.

The divers found the animal in waters 7,540 feet deep at a site 900 miles south of Easter Island last year, according to Michel Segonzac of the French Institute for Sea Exploration.

The new crustacean is described in the journal of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.

The animal is white and just shy of 6 inches long — about the size of a salad plate.

In what Segonzac described as a "surprising characteristic," the animal's pincers are covered with sinuous, hair-like strands.

It is also blind. The researchers found it had only "the vestige of a membrane" in place of eyes, Segonzac said.

The researchers said that while legions of new ocean species are discovered each year, it is quite rare to find one that merits a new family.

The family was named Kiwaida, from Kiwa, the goddess of crustaceans in Polynesian mythology.

The diving expedition was organized by Robert Vrijenhoek of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California.
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I love when new species are discovered. But that's just freaky.
 
I just saw this on the news. How do they know its not just a mutated one? Did they find others?
 
There's just no end to what you can find the darkness of the deep ocean. The thing that gets me, though, is that everything they've found so far is really tiny. There has to be something that's huge that can live at that depth. Oh wait, now I understand. Small means less area for the pressure to affect.
 
That sounds cute! Bizzare and freaky, but cute. ^^
... -idiot- ^^;;
 
Original article (link at top of post) has picture of the lobster.
 
Now I'm just waiting for them to find a Rock Lobster*shot*

This things looks awesome though. A very interesting animal!
 
...Tasty.

Maybe that Corphish plushie wasn't so far off base after all.
 
Oh gods why did I look at the picture...I'm going to have nightmares about that thing now
 
Wow! That lobster kind of looks like a hair brush. To me, anyway! I think that lobster looks cool. Nice discovery, right? I wonder what people will do with the new species of lobster.
 
Damn, that's awesome! Now all we need is carnavorious cows and we're all set!
 
I'd hate to dig up topics a couple of weeks old, but I do have a comment here:

It reminds me of what would happen when an oversized dust mite and a pipe cleaner mated.

I can only wonder what other animals would fit into the same genus.
 
yes well do they have proof its not just a plushie? or not just mutated? the pictures caption said 'a long way from its home in the pacific' seems a bit hibbidy dibbidy that they never said they found more......sure they might have found one it could just be mutated.
 
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