Bottom fauna associated with Bathymodiolus azoricus (Mytilidae) mussel beds in the hydrothermal fields of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

• Published in: Oceanology (Washington. 1965) Vol. 50; no. 1; pp. 51 - 60
• Main Authors: Galkin, S. V., Goroslavskaya, E. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.02.2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal populations; Bathymodiolus azoricus; Community structure; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Marine; Marine Biology; Mollusks; Mytilidae; Ocean bottom; Oceanography; Water temperature; United States > US; Atlantic Ocean; I, Pacific; A, Mid-Atlantic Ridge; Polychaete; Hydrothermal Vent; East Pacific Rise; Lucky Strike; Speed Spreading
• ISSN: 0001-4370; 1531-8508
• DOI: 10.1134/S0001437010010066

The structure of the assemblages associated with the mussel aggregations of Bathymodiolus azoricus was investigated. The mussel beds were found on the hydrothermal vent fields on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (the Menez Gwen, Lucky Strike, and Rainbow areas) at the depths of 850–2400 m. The community structure of the mussel bed assemblages varied between the studied areas. Large number of species was unique to Menez Gwen mussel beds; the most observed taxa were not specialized hydrothermal species. All the other, nonunique species were found for the Lucky Strike region. The lowest mussel assemblage structure evenness was observed in the shallowest area, the Menez Gwen area (850 m depth). We assume that two types of mussel assemblages—nematode-dominated and copepod-dominated ones—exist in the Lucky Strike field. The assemblages of B. azoricus differ significantly from the assemblages of B. thermophilus inhabiting the Pacific hydrothermal vents.