Mollusc · bivalve

Azores vent mussel

Bathymodiolus azoricus

PacificAtlanticIndianSouthernArctic A single ocean

Depth

About 840 to 2,350 m, on the vents of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Size

Shell a few cm long, large ones exceed 6 cm

Diet

Bacteria living in its gills, plus filtered particles

Zone

The sea floor · 200 – 3,500 m

Key facts

• Its gills host two kinds of bacteria. One uses sulfur, the other uses methane from the vents.
• Small mussels mostly filter the water. Large ones get a good share of their energy from their bacteria.
• It is found from Menez Gwen, at around 850 m, to Rainbow, at around 2,350 m.
• Big mussels settle as close as possible to the hot fluid outlets, where there is the most sulfur.

Verified sources

1. SeaLifeBase : Bathymodiolus azoricus
2. Duperron et al. (Ifremer Archimer) : symbiontes de Bathymodiolus azoricus
3. Martins et al. 2008 : Size-dependent variations on the nutritional pathway of Bathymodiolus azoricus
4. Cavanaugh Lab, Harvard : Dual symbiosis shared by two mussel species
5. Sarradin et al. (VLIZ) : mussel communities at Lucky Strike and Menez Gwen

In the game: To observe

In the same zone

MonkfishLophius piscatorius Bird’s nest spongePheronema carpenteri Pink abyssal sea cucumberAmperima rosea Scaly-foot gastropodChrysomallon squamiferum Indian Ocean vent shrimpRimicaris kairei Java giant isopodBathynomus raksasa