Altarian Land Crabs

The Altarian Land Crab is a blue, land-dwelling crustacean native to the Altaria region of Altair IV. It is typically found in forests, where it lives in decaying vegetable matter. As humanoid populations have encroached upon its habitat though, it has adapted to an existence in civilized areas and has become a common pest on its homeworld. Infestations of Altarian Land Crabs often plague industrial facilities where carbon dioxide is a composition or byproduct of production. In the last twenty years, they have also spread from their native planet, most likely carried in exported equipment, and have been recorded on over a dozen Federation worlds as well as one planet in the Romulan Neutral Zone. In 2411, an infestation was found in the USS Columbia's environmental systems with a possible origin from Star Base Bravo.

Physiology

The Altarian Land Crab has an unusual physiology. It requires high concentrations of carbon dioxide to thrive, which it takes in through small gill slits in the soft tissue near its mouth. They feed on rotting leaves and wood, though colonies are known to become cannibalistic, eating their young, when food supplies run low. Colonies that exist in industrial facilities often have an outside source of food upon which they scavenge and have proved quite adaptable in their diet.

A single, female Altarian Land Crab can produce up to a hundred eggs at one time. Upon hatching, the young remain near their mother for several weeks before dispersing and forming multiple colonies on their own. Adults crabs can reach up to 15 centimeters in length and typically live for two years. Females produce from between five to eight broods in their lifetime.

Detecting an Infestation

Altarian Land Crabs have a very low metabolic rate and thus often do not register on standard lifeform scans. Colonies can best be located via thermal imagery due to the increased temperature created by the aggregation of numerous crabs. Individual crabs, however, are difficult to locate on their own via thermal imagery, as their body temperature usually only variates from their environment by +/-0.4 degrees Celsius. Individual crabs are often best detected by motion sensitive devices.