A new species of crustacean has been discovered in the underwater mountains off the northwest coast of Spain, scientists recently announced.
The squat lobster is orange and a little over 2 inches (5 centimeters) long. Squat lobsters are more closely related to porcelain and hermit crabs than true lobsters.
It was discovered at a depth of 4,626 feet (1,410 meters) in August 2011 by the INDEMARES research group and lives among deep corals and sea fans, according to a study published in the March issue of the journal Zootaxa.
The shy crustaceans are abundant in submarine mountains in areas that haven't been heavily fished; the corals and sea fans amid which they live tend to disappear in trawling zones, researchers said in a statement.
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