CNN —Scientists have uncovered communities of animals such as tube worms and snails living in volcanic caves beneath the seafloor, revealing a previously unknown but thriving ecosystem.
An eelpout swims by a tower of tube worms at the Tica Vent, a hydrothermal vent site on the East Pacific Rise.
Tube worms are immobile creatures that settle and grow in one place without moving, like barnacles.
A large cluster of stationary tube worms thrives at the Fava Flow Suburbs, a site on the East Pacific Rise.
Researchers use a robotic arm to lift a small portion of volcanic rock to verify that life exists beneath the ocean floor.
Persons:
“, ”, Dr, Sabine Gollner, Gollner, ” Gollner, Monika Bright, ” Bright, Alex Rogers, Rogers, It’s, ” Rogers, Mónika Naranjo, Shepherd
Organizations:
CNN —, Central America, Nature Communications, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Ocean Institute, Schmidt Ocean, University of Vienna, Ocean
Locations:
Central, limnology, ”