These bathymodiolid mussels and vestimentiferan tube worms were collected from a methane seep off the coast of Costa Rica. They provide habitat for many associated species, including the gastropods seen in this picture. Many large limpets live on the tubes and shells, where they graze on bacteria and other microbes. Photo courtesy of Benjamin Grupe.
Related Links
INSPIRE: Chile Margin 2010: Sea Floor Habitats of the Chile Margin