Scientists from the University of Southampton have played a key role in discovering a new species of male crabs, which has now been named after David Hasselhoff.

The species, officially named Kiwa tyleri, can grow bigger claws than females so that they can fight each other for a mate, according to the university's new study.

Teams from the University of Portsmouth worked with Southampton and discovered the difference in claw size while monitoring the crab.

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It was coined the 'Hoff crab' thanks to its hairy chest which prompted comparisons to the Baywatch star.

The Kiwa tyleri lives in large communities around hot vents on the seafloor in Antarctica and its many hairs host bacteria which the crab feeds on.

The latest study examined 135 of the crabs – which are part of the Kiwaidae family known also as “yeti crabs” because of their bristly appearance – at the East Scotia Ridge in the Scotia Sea.