[1] The crabs live at deep-sea cold seeps where they feed on symbiotic Pseudomonadota, which they cultivate on hair-like projections on their claws.

The bacteria metabolise hydrogen sulfide and methane produced by the seeps, and are harvested by the animals' comb-like mouthparts.

[2] Among the other deep-sea animals that make use of such symbionts this species is unique in that it actively waves its appendages over the vents in order to provide the bacteria with more oxygen and nutrients.

[3] Kiwa puravida was discovered living on the 1,000-metre (3,300 ft) deep sea bottom off the coast of Costa Rica in 2006 by Andrew Thurber, William J. Jones and Kareen Schnabel.

[2][6] The specific epithet puravida (literally "pure life") comes from a Costa Rican Spanish saying (used to answer "How are you doing?"