In the cold depths of the Mar Argentino, the routine of a rocky reef was interrupted by a scene that left the audience speechless: a Patagonian lobster stood up to an underwater robot to protect his family. Almost 1.883 depth metersThe behavior of this mother crustacean clearly showed how life finds its way even in the most remote environments.
The sequence was captured during the Continental Slope IV Expedition, driven by the Schmidt Ocean Institute together with specialists from the CONICET and other national centers. With thousands of people tuned in to the broadcast, the episode became one of the most talked-about moments of the campaign for its blend of science, surprise, and animal behavior.
An unexpected scene under the rock
El ROV SuBastian, equipped with cameras and articulated arms, was advancing on a rock formation near Mar del Plata when it detected movement in a cavityThere, a female of Thymops birsteini protected his eight offspring, who were barely peeking out of the shelter to follow in their mother's footsteps.
Noticing the robot's powerful lighting, the lobster positioned itself between the camera and its burrow and he pushed the young ones into the crack, demonstrating an attitude defensive which caught his attention. For a few moments, he seemed to assess the situation without losing sight of the device.
From sampling to collision
Tensions increased when the team decided collect a sea snail which was resting right on the same rock. This maneuver was interpreted by the mother as a threat and, without hesitation, attacked the ROV base, lifting sediment and hitting the structure of the equipment with its pincers, in a quick and forceful response.
Given the animal's reaction, the operators they accelerated the taking of the sample with the vacuum cleaner and cautiously moved away. Minutes later, the camera returned to the protagonist to confirm that had not suffered any damage and was returning to his guard post at the entrance to the shelter.
What the audience and the scientists saw
The episode was recorded in live on YouTube, with audience peaks of more than 70.000 spectators. In the chat the reactions multiplied: there was no shortage of affectionate nicknames for the mother nor the messages celebrating her determination. The onboard team answered questions in real time and confirmed that the animal remained unharmed.
The specialists took the opportunity to explain that, although lobsters are usually leisurely walkers, can perform quick getaways When needed, their anatomy allows them to manipulate food and defend their shelter with remarkable effectiveness. To learn more about the biodiversity of these species, visit our guide. de peces marine.
The species and its biology, in the foreground
The protagonist belongs to the family Nephropidae, the group of so-called clawed lobsters. It presents two front calipers prominent, four other pairs of walking legs called pereopods or with a pleon or tail with which it can propel itself with sudden flapping motions to flee.
La Thymops birsteini, known as the Patagonian lobster, lives in the cold depths of the South American platform. The observed behavior—guarding offspring in cavities and stand up to intruders— fits with documented parental protection strategies for the group. This may be an example of parental protection behavior in crustaceans.
The campaign and what's next
The dive is part of an exploration of the Mar del Plata canyon on board the ship Falkor (too), with objectives that include mapping submarine canyons, study vulnerable ecosystems and document communities adapted to extreme conditionsYou can also find more information in our marine biology section.
After the completion of this phase, the scientific vessel plans to continue with new missions in the region, including a campaign in Uruguayan waters and a return to Argentina for multiple additional outings led by various research teams.
This episode of the lobster that defended its young It reflects the importance of understanding the behavior of marine species in their natural habitat, especially those that display parental protection behaviors and aggression as survival mechanisms in extreme environments.