A pinkish fish and a blind Brachyuran crab seen near a site of diffused venting.

A Brachyuran crab rests on rock near a site of diffused venting. These blind crabs are typically found inhabiting mussel beds close to hydrothermal venting.

A Brachyuran crab rests on rock near a site of diffused venting. These blind crabs are typically found inhabiting mussel beds close to hydrothermal venting.

Hydrothermal venting as noted by shimmering water, Riftia pachyptila tube worms, and carpets of small anemones covering bare basalt surface.

Agglomeration of white brachyuran crabs on outskirts of vent field. Pillow lavas either hydrothermally altered or covered with either chemical material or bacterial mat.

Field of rounded pillow lavas near hydrothermal vent site.

Hydrothermally altered lava either near active vent site or perhaps at extinct vent site.

An open lava tube. This collapsed feature often occurs when the outer edges of a flow are quickly cooled by contact with seawater. The insulated lava inside remains viscous and eventually recedes, creating a void.

An open lava tube. This collapsed feature often occurs when the outer edges of a flow are quickly cooled by contact with seawater. The insulated lava inside remains viscous and eventually recedes, creating a void.

An open lava tube. This collapsed feature often occurs when the outer edges of a flow are quickly cooled by contact with seawater. The insulated lava inside remains viscous and eventually recedes, creating a void.

Spaghetti worms cover a basalt rock surface

Spaghetti worms and a large red shrimp on a basalt rock surface

An open lava tube. This collapsed feature often occurs when the outer edges of a flow are quickly cooled by contact with seawater. The insulated lava inside remains viscous and eventually recedes, creating a void.

An eel pout over a relatively smooth lava bottom in the vicinity of hydrothermal venting as the water is murky and filled debris, perhaps chemical precipitates from vent water.

A lava collapse feature in the vicinity of a hydrothermal vent. Murky water with much material probable result of hydrothermal venting.

A field of ropy pahoehoe lava that exhibited apparent laminar flow

Clam bed in vicinity of venting

Image dominated by two large Riftia pachyptila tube worms with a large anemone in right bottom center, a few siblonogid worms on bottom right, many greenish limpets, a few vent shrimp, and some yellow mussels in crack in upper left and elsewhere.

Image dominated by a large Riftia pachyptila tube worms and a large green anemone in the center, a few siblonogid worms on the right edge, many

Siboglinid tube worms, perhaps a species not observed before on the Galapagos Rift, were found at Tempus Fugit vent field. Numerous limpets are also seen in this image.

Riftia tube worms and a carpet of small white anemones.

A large headed eel pout like fish

An open lava tube. This collapsed feature often occurs when the outer edges of a flow are quickly cooled by contact with seawater. The insulated lava inside remains viscous and eventually recedes, creating a void.

Yellow sulfites? bacterial material covering rock? and a white tube worm.

White tube worms and a few anemones on pillow lavas with a large eel pout in the foreground.

Anemones, white tube worms, at least one Riftia pachyptila tube worm in right center next to white squat lobster, and perhaps white bacterial mat material between pillow lava structures.

Microbial and sponge material were found in pockets in the active portion of the Tempus Fugit vent field (live clam at center).

Microbial and sponge material were found in pockets in the active portion of the Tempus Fugit vent field. Clams and a brachyuran crab are seen associated with the bacterial material.

Microbial and sponge material were found in pockets in the active portion of the Tempus Fugit vent field. A live clam is seen in the left center.

A gelatinous mass of bacteria growing near a vent site.

Clam shells, riftia tube worms, and white bacterial mat material on rock surface.

At least two species of shrimp, yellow shelled mussels, a crab, and other life forms can be found in this image.

Siblonogid worms, limpets, mussels, a large translucent anemone with tentacles hanging down, a large pinkish brown scale worm, yellow mussels, large white clams, and numerous shrimp at a vent site with shimmering warm water. A high diversity of life at at vent site.

Siboglinid tube worms, a species not seen before on the Galapagos Rift, were found at Tempus Fugit vent field. A high density of limpets and a few shrimp are seen here also.

A fluffy bacterial? mat, white anemones, and a large feather duster worm.

Riftia tube worms, smaller siboglinid tube worms, yellowish mussels, small white anemones, scale worms,limpets, and shrimp all seen in this diverse hydrothermal vent community.

Large broken clam shells, a live clam in the bottom right corner, yellow mussel shells, small white tube worms, and white galatheid crabs.

Carpets of small (inch-long) anemones covered rock faces adjacent to the active venting in the Tempus Fugit vent field.

Carpets of small (inch-long) anemones covered rock faces adjacent to the active venting in the Tempus Fugit vent field. A polychaete worm is also seen in the left center.

Carpets of small (inch-long) anemones covered rock faces adjacent to the active venting in the Tempus Fugit vent field.

Carpets of small (inch-long) anemones covered rock faces adjacent to the active venting in the Tempus Fugit vent field.

Clam shells, small white tube worms, small white anemones, and a large white-faced fish.

Riftia tubeworms colonize diffuse vent habitats between broken pieces of lava. Small mussels, less than two inches, were growing in cracks adjacent to vent openings (lower right).

Riftia pachyptila tube worms, small yellowish mussels in many of the cracks in the rocks, limpets, and shimmering warm water emanating from an active venting site.

Riftia tube worms colonize diffuse vent habitats between broken pieces of lava. Shimmering venting warm fluid is seen emanating upward through the tube worms.

Mussels, limpets and bacterial mat

Closeup of mussels with siphons extended for feeding. Limpets and a bristleworm are seen as well.

Riftia pachyptila tube worms

Riftia pachyptila tube worms

Riftia pachyptila tube worms