rhodopsin-like photopigment in adult eyes preserved by rapid freezing suggests that the rhabdoms of B. thermydron beyond the first juvenile crab stage may be resistant to the chemical fixation

freezing suggests that the rhabdoms of B. thermydron beyond the first juvenile crab stage may be resistant to the chemical fixation used for anatomical analysis. Rapid freezing of crabs collected remotely under low light conditions at infrequently visited vents may be required to determine the in situ state of adult and latejuvenile eyes. Because related shallow-water brachyuran crabs do not undergo visual metamorphosis, the metamorphosis of the eyes of B. thermydron described here appears to be a specific adaptation for life at the vents. A