Hydrothermal Vent Communities

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are hydrogeological phenomena occurring on the deep ocean bottom, wherever it is a tectonically active area and heated waters reach the seafloor with significant temperatures and pressures. Specific animal communities are strongly associated with these hydrothermal areas, and unique trophic relationships are established among chemolithotrophic bacteria, clams and mussels. Keywords: eubacteria; archaea; archaebacteria; thermophile; extremophile; ocean; sulfur; black smoker; Ocean Drilling Program (ODP); symbiont