Carrying behavior in the deep-sea crab Paromola cuvieri (Northeast Atlantic)

摘要: Observations of deep-sea homolids are becoming more common, but good-resolution imagery these crabs in the natural environment is still scarce. Sixteen new situ observations Paromola cuvieri from various locations within central and eastern groups Azores Archipelago (Northeast Atlantic) described here based on video footage collected by two submersible vehicles. Crabs were found coral gardens sponge aggregations, which priority habitats conservation importance under OSPARCOM. Diverse sessile megafauna recorded (>59 taxa), including sponges, hydroids, corals, brachiopods, crinoids oysters. Overall, 75% carrying live specimens invertebrates, mainly sponges cold-water corals. Object selection shows to be a complex process than previously thought, factors such as morphology, size weight objects also palatability seem important object their availability.