0 > >Now that i have made a complete fool of myself ( :-) ), lets get back "on >track". > Has anybody done much work on the mollucs of deep-sea vents? I >know a half-dozen of the spp named >so far, and they are all bivalves! Have any gastropods, chitons, >scaphopods, cephalopods, >monoplacophora or aplacophora been found associated with these incredibly >interesting >chemically-driven ecosystems? Has genetic work been done to try and >determine how long these >populations have been "isolated" from their more shallow-water >counterparts? Do some of the spp >found in these communities also occur elsewhere (ie, what is the percentage >of endemics??). I am >curious (no comments from the peanut gallery, proverbial or otherwise!!), >and probably many other >list members are also fascinated by this phenomenon, but never took the >time to do much digging in >the literature!! >-Ross M. Hi Ross, yes, there are many different molluscs living near hydrothermal vents, including gastropods. You can find the whole list of vent-associated molluscs at: http://www.lgs.jussieu.fr/~intridge/fauna/ventmoll.htm As far as I know, there are not so many endemics as there should be. How those organisms survive the migration through cold ocean water from one vent to another is still mystery, I believe. Later, Milan ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com