Channel: MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute)

Category: Science & Technology

Tags: creature featurewormspompeii wormsoceandeep seaalvinella wormshydrothermal ventdeep-sea animalsmbariweird and wonderful

Description: Pompeii worms are enigmatic animals that are only found on the surface of active hydrothermal chimneys. Their name refers to the ancient Roman city of Pompeii that was destroyed by ash raining down from an eruption of the large volcano Mount Vesuvius just miles away. Instead of being devastated by volcano-like conditions, these worms thrive in the scalding hot, mineral-rich waters at deep-sea vents. They secrete mucus that absorbs minerals dissolved in the vent fluid and hardens into parchment-like protective tubes. The worms are able to survive temperatures of 45° to 60℃ (133° to 140℉) and even up to 105℃ (221℉) for short periods of time. Unlike some of the other animals found in hydrothermal communities, Pompeii worms have bacteria covering their outer surface rather than living inside their body. A shaggy backside covered in sticky mucus supports a worm’s crop of bacteria. The worms eat the bacteria off each other’s backs and those bacteria provide thermal insulation too, protecting the worms from the scalding temperatures of the vents. The Pompeii worms are constantly slipping in and out of their tubes. Using red-orange, tentacle-like gills, they extract minerals from the hot vent, and then pop out of their tubes to access higher oxygen concentrations in the cooler waters surrounding the vents . They share their tube dwellings with a variety of other organisms. Shrimp-like amphipods and other polychaete worms, such as Hesiolyra bergi, have been found within the tubes of the colonies. How the Pompeii worms may benefit from these lodgers is still unknown. MBARI researchers and their collaborators are using samples collected from our remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Doc Ricketts to study the genetics of these unusual worms in order to determine population connectivity between vent sites along the East Pacific Rise—a mid-ocean ridge stretching from Baja California, Mexico, to Easter Island—and the Pacific Antarctic Ridge further south. Learn more on our Creature feature: mbari.org/products/creature-feature/pompeii-worm-landing-page Common name: Pompeii worm Scientific name: Alvinella spp. Reported depth range: 1,500 meters–3,500 meters (4,920–11,500 feet) Size: to 15 centimeters (6 inches) Editor: Ted Blanco Writer: Larissa Lemon Production team: Kyra Schlining, Susan von Thun, Nancy Jacobsen Stout For more information see: mbari.org/products/creature-feature/pompeii-worm-landing-page mbari.org/gulf-of-california-2015-apr-21 mbari.org/gulf-of-california-2015-apr-22 Publication reference: Goffredi, S.K., S. Johnson, V. Tunnicliffe, D. Caress, D. Clague, E. Escobar, L. Lundsten, J.B. Paduan, G. Rouse, D.L. Salcedo, L.A. Soto, R. Spelz-Madero, R. Zierenberg, and R. Vrijenhoek (2017). Hydrothermal vent fields discovered in the southern Gulf of California clarify role of habitat in augmenting regional diversity. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 284: 20170817. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.0817 Jang, S.J., E. Park, W.K. Lee, S.B. Johnson, R.C. Vrijenhoek, and Y.-J. Won (2016). Population subdivision of hydrothermal vent polychaete Alvinella pompejana across equatorial and Easter Microplate boundaries. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 16: 235. dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12862-016-0807-9