These tube worms, over three feet tall, live off the "smoke" particles from the vent.
Hot pink tube worms living on scalding deep-sea hydrothermal vents
actually like to keep things relatively cool, according to a study
published today (May 29) in the journal PLOS ONE.
Superheated water — at temperatures of more than 750 degrees Fahrenheit
(400 degrees Celsius) — spews from the vents. An entire ecosystem
clings to the chimneylike columns, with worms and many other species
consuming each other and the mineral-laden hydrothermal fluids.
Exploring the deep-sea vents helps scientists determine the upper temperature limits for life.
The fleshy pink Pompeii worm (Alvinella pompejana) is one of
the most extreme of the deep-sea creatures, perching its long, bristly
tubes right next to the shimmering vent fluids. Earlier research had
pegged the Pompeii worm's comfort zone as high as 140 F
(60 C), far beyond that of other animals. But genetic and protein
studies showed the worm's tissues would unravel at such high
temperatures, just like raw eggs change when cooked. [Life at the Hydrothermal Seep (Video)]
For the rest of the story: http://www.livescience.com/34835-heat-limit-for-life.html
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