Life forms around the hydrothermal vent

Life around the hydrothermal vent

Based on the composition of the fluids coming from the vents, we can see diverse inhabiting organisms and animals around the hydrothermal vent. Actually, with a general perspective on habitat, marine scientists are amazed to see life forms here, since the environment is actually not hospitable for life. First of all, hydrothermal vent fields have very high temperature. It is around 350-400 degree celcius. Secondly, it is a high pressure area because of the depth, which is more than 2000 meters. Another barrier to overcome for biological life is that this flux is highly toxic and acidic, since it includes hydrogensulfide and many other polymetalsulfides. Given the environmental characteristics, you never expect to see any life forms down there!

However, there is a habitat for a diverse living organism and animals around hydrothermal vents, such as, different types of worms, fish, crabs, sponges, snails, sea stars, sea urchin, sea cucumbers, anemones, jelly fish, corals, octopus, squid, sea spider. A few photos from the recent dive:

A sea urchin is watching ROPOS taking samples

Sea urchin from below two brittle stars in the background

A deep sea spider crab is watching ROPOS taking samples

Deep sea spider crab close up

Anemone, feather stars and corals

Sea stars

Brittle star on a sponge

Arthropod

Chordate

Dinner plate jelly

Q1: Can a sea urchin watch ROPOS taking samples?

A1: How can it see something?! It does not have any eyes!


Q2: Can a deep sea crab watch ROPOS taking samples?

A2: Now, are you going to say yes, since it has eyes? Then you are tricked! Hydrothermal vents are deep down more than 2000 meters, in other words more than 2 kilometers below the ocean surface. Sunlight cannot reach that deep, so it is pitch dark there. Those animals and organisms live in high pressure, high temperature and pitch dark place all their lives! Most of them don't have eyes and even if they have eyes, they are not functional. But, they are extremely sensitive to vibrations! They have a strong sense of smell and taste, too.

So, in the first three pictures, although the sea urchin and deep sea crab are not able to see, they may have felt that there is something out there, a new friend from the world of light, ROPOS!

The first time I saw deep sea crabs was in Osaka Japan. I was amazed with their big giant legs! Deep sea crabs have eight legs with two feeding arms, the longest arm can be up to a couple meters. One of the monsters of the deep sea!

Goksenin Sen
Marine Educator


Photo Credits: CSSF-ROPOS/NEPTUNE Canada