Adult tube worms, close relatives to the earthworm, are tall red and white tubelike structures. They maintain their rigid structure from a thick outer layer of chitin, the same material found in the shells of shrimps. Although tube worms do not have mouths or stomachs, they are able to grow nearly a meter per year, making them the fastest growing marine invertebrates. They do this by growing only around hydrothermal vents, the places on the deep sea ocean floor with the most abundant supply of the nutrients they need to survive. In this environmen
t, they are able to work alongside a specific group of creatures to ensure all of their survival. On the smallest side of the spectrum, microbes that live inside the tube worm's organ called the trophosome take in all of the tube's nuturients for them. They do this by using the chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, that tube worms take in to perform chemeosymbiosis and produce sugars. In return, the tube's provide very effective shelters to the microbes, and, as an added bonus, to many other small creatures who find solace weaving inbetween entire forests of these worms that cover hydrothermal vents. In fact, large populations of crabs have been found to be living amongst these worms occasionally feeding on their red plumes. Along with clams and mussels, these crabs are known to obtain hydrogen sulfide from the hydrothermal cracks for the microbes that live in their gills. The microbes are also known to be foodsource for invertabrates like the blind Atlantic vent shrimp. Others, such as eel pouts, Vulcan octopi, Brachyruan crabs, are opportunistic feeders that eat both living and dead organisms.Although the sybiosis apparent in the communities around tube worms is the most widely understood, marine biologists believe that similar relationships exist in more than 100 species of marine invertebrates.
t, they are able to work alongside a specific group of creatures to ensure all of their survival. On the smallest side of the spectrum, microbes that live inside the tube worm's organ called the trophosome take in all of the tube's nuturients for them. They do this by using the chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfide, oxygen, and carbon dioxide, that tube worms take in to perform chemeosymbiosis and produce sugars. In return, the tube's provide very effective shelters to the microbes, and, as an added bonus, to many other small creatures who find solace weaving inbetween entire forests of these worms that cover hydrothermal vents. In fact, large populations of crabs have been found to be living amongst these worms occasionally feeding on their red plumes. Along with clams and mussels, these crabs are known to obtain hydrogen sulfide from the hydrothermal cracks for the microbes that live in their gills. The microbes are also known to be foodsource for invertabrates like the blind Atlantic vent shrimp. Others, such as eel pouts, Vulcan octopi, Brachyruan crabs, are opportunistic feeders that eat both living and dead organisms.Although the sybiosis apparent in the communities around tube worms is the most widely understood, marine biologists believe that similar relationships exist in more than 100 species of marine invertebrates.
image source:
http://www.amnh.org/learn/courses/ocean_resource17.php
i.livescience.com/images/ig29_spider_crabs_09.jpg
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