Gandalfus puia

Gandalfus puia
A New Zealand blind vent crab, Gandalfus puia

Naturally Uncommon (NZ TCS)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Bythograeidae
Genus: Gandalfus
Species:
G. puia
Binomial name
Gandalfus puia
McLay, 2007[2]

Gandalfus puia is the only known New Zealand species of crab in the family Bythograeidae, commonly known as the blind vent crabs. Like other blind vent crabs, it only lives in hydrothermal vent waters. This species was first described in 2007 after specimens were collected from the undersea volcanic ridge near the Kermadec Islands.[3]

  1. ^ Freeman, Debbie; et al. (December 2014). Conservation status of New Zealand marine invertebrates, 2013 (PDF) (Report). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. Vol. 9. Department of Conservation. p. 12. ISBN 978-0478150322. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  2. ^ McLay, Colin (July 2007). "New crabs from hydrothermal vents of the Kermadec Ridge submarine volcanoes, New Zealand: Gandalfus gen. nov.(Bythograeidae) and Xenograpsus (Varunidae)(Decapoda: Brachyura)". Zootaxa (1524): 1–22.
  3. ^ "This week's grumpy crab Critter is the New Zealand vent crab Gandalfus puia". National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2016.