The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Habitat Associations in Gastropod Species at East Pacific Rise Hydrothermal Vents (9°50'N)

Habitat Associations in Gastropod Species at East Pacific Rise Hydrothermal Vents (9°50'N)
Habitat Associations in Gastropod Species at East Pacific Rise Hydrothermal Vents (9°50'N)
At deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the East Pacific Rise (9°50'N), distinct megafaunal assemblages are positioned along strong thermal and chemical gradients. We investigated the distribution of gastropod species to determine whether they associate with specific megafaunal zones and to determine the thermal boundaries of their habitats. Gastropods colonized a series of basalt blocks that were placed into three different zones characterized by vestimentiferan tubeworms, bivalves, and suspension-feeders, respectively. Additional gastropods were collected on selected blocks from higher temperature vestimentiferan habitat and from grab samples of alvinellid polychaetes. On the blocks, gastropod species clustered into a "Cool" group (Clypeosectus delectus, Eulepetopsis vitrea, Gorgoleptis spiralis, and Lepetodrilus ovalis) whose species tended to be most abundant in the suspension-feeder zone, and a "Warm" group (Lepetodrilus cristatus, L. elevatus, L. pustulosus, and Cyathermia naticoides) whose species all were significantly more abundant in the vestimentiferan zone than elsewhere. The temperature ranges of Cool species were generally lower than the ranges of Warm ones, although both groups were present at 3 to 6 °C; also present was Bathymargarites symplector, which clustered with neither group. Three additional species, Rhynchopelta concentrica, Neomphalus fretterae, and Nodopelta rigneae, co-occurred with Warm-group species on selected blocks from hotter habitats. Although a few species were found only in alvinellid collections, most species were not exclusive to a specific megafaunal zone. We propose that species in the Cool and Warm groups occupy specific microhabitats that are present in more than one zone.
0006-3185
185-194
Mills, Susan W.
5c019577-e674-4f8f-b04b-5d89b9eeddc1
Mullineaux, Lauren S.
ee8af9a0-7c4d-4925-b3a6-482815187e46
Tyler, Paul A.
d1965388-38cc-4c1d-9217-d59dba4dd7f8
Mills, Susan W.
5c019577-e674-4f8f-b04b-5d89b9eeddc1
Mullineaux, Lauren S.
ee8af9a0-7c4d-4925-b3a6-482815187e46
Tyler, Paul A.
d1965388-38cc-4c1d-9217-d59dba4dd7f8

Mills, Susan W., Mullineaux, Lauren S. and Tyler, Paul A. (2007) Habitat Associations in Gastropod Species at East Pacific Rise Hydrothermal Vents (9°50'N). Biological Bulletin, 212 (3), 185-194.

Record type: Article

Abstract

At deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the East Pacific Rise (9°50'N), distinct megafaunal assemblages are positioned along strong thermal and chemical gradients. We investigated the distribution of gastropod species to determine whether they associate with specific megafaunal zones and to determine the thermal boundaries of their habitats. Gastropods colonized a series of basalt blocks that were placed into three different zones characterized by vestimentiferan tubeworms, bivalves, and suspension-feeders, respectively. Additional gastropods were collected on selected blocks from higher temperature vestimentiferan habitat and from grab samples of alvinellid polychaetes. On the blocks, gastropod species clustered into a "Cool" group (Clypeosectus delectus, Eulepetopsis vitrea, Gorgoleptis spiralis, and Lepetodrilus ovalis) whose species tended to be most abundant in the suspension-feeder zone, and a "Warm" group (Lepetodrilus cristatus, L. elevatus, L. pustulosus, and Cyathermia naticoides) whose species all were significantly more abundant in the vestimentiferan zone than elsewhere. The temperature ranges of Cool species were generally lower than the ranges of Warm ones, although both groups were present at 3 to 6 °C; also present was Bathymargarites symplector, which clustered with neither group. Three additional species, Rhynchopelta concentrica, Neomphalus fretterae, and Nodopelta rigneae, co-occurred with Warm-group species on selected blocks from hotter habitats. Although a few species were found only in alvinellid collections, most species were not exclusive to a specific megafaunal zone. We propose that species in the Cool and Warm groups occupy specific microhabitats that are present in more than one zone.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: January 2007

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 66000
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/66000
ISSN: 0006-3185
PURE UUID: 29d6eb49-9bd1-4db4-ad7e-5c94febb1148

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 17 Apr 2009
Last modified: 07 Jan 2022 23:41

Export record

Contributors

Author: Susan W. Mills
Author: Lauren S. Mullineaux
Author: Paul A. Tyler

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×