Kiwa is a genus of marine decapods living at deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps. The animals are commonly referred to as "yeti lobsters" or "yeti crabs", after the legendary yeti, because of their "hairy" or bristly appearance. The genus is placed in its own family, Kiwaidae, in the superfamily Chirostyloidea. Five species have been described: Kiwa hirsuta discovered in 2005 on the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, Kiwa puravida discovered in 2006 at cold seeps in the East Pacific (all other species are from hydrothermal vents), Kiwa tyleri, known colloquially as the "Hoff crab", from the East Scotia Ridge, and Kiwa araonae from the Australian-Antarctic Ridge. Two similar but undescribed species are known from vents on the South West Indian Ridge and at the Galápagos respectively. Analysis of DNA has confirmed the distinction of the species, them having diverged from each other millions of years ago. The third undescribed species of Kiwa was discovered in 2010 in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean at vents on the East Scotia Ridge. Compared with the first two species, it has proportionally much shorter chelae, with the majority of the bacteria-growing setae concentrated on the ventral carapace. Based on the presence of sulphur-oxidising bacteria on the setae of both K. hirsuta and the new South West Indian Ridge species, they may both feed on bacteria in addition to scavenging. For K. puravida, the bacteria have been identified and the feeding behaviour observed, as well as a cyclical rhythmic motion of the crab documented that is suspected to increase the flow of methane and sulfide, the bacterial food, towards the bacteria. The two sexes of the new South West Indian Ridge species prefer different temperatures, with males seeming to prefer warmer water and egg-carrying females and juveniles preferring the coldest. The genus Kiwa is named after "the goddess of the shellfish in the Polynesian mythology". Internal anatomy Internal anatomy has been studied in Kiwa puravida. Digestive system: The stomach (gastric mill + pylorus) is situated in the upper anterior portion of the cephalothorax. The gut extends as a tube to the telson. A pair of short anterior ceca emanates from the transition between pylorus and gut, appearing as short tubes. The hepatopancreas fills most of the cephalothorax and parts of the pleon and is formed by two bunches of tubular diverticles which are each connected to the pylorus via a main duct. The stomach is