The deep-sea squat lobster, Munidopsis sp.

Squat lobsters are found throughout the world ocean from the sea surface to the deep sea. They resemble true lobsters in some ways, but have a short, flattened carapace (upper shell that covers the main body). This one, Munidopsis sp., was observed with the ROV Tiburon 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) deep in Monterey Canyon. Occasionally we see dense aggregations of squat lobsters on the seafloor. Squat lobsters use a variety of feeding mechanisms—some species filter feed, others eat detritus, graze on algae, and