Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Archimer Research Papers http://archimer.ifremer.fr August 2014, Volume 90, Pages 105-114 he publisher Web site Webpublisher he http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2014.05.006 © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. A microbiological and biogeochemical investigation of the cold seep is available on t on available is tubeworm Escarpia southwardae (Annelida: Siboglinidae): Symbiosis and trace element composition of the tube Sébastien Duperrona, *, Sylvie M. Gaudrona, Nolwenn Lemaitreb, c, d, Germain Bayonb authenticated version authenticated - a Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 06, UMR7208 Laboratoire Biologie des Organismes Aquatiques et Ecosystèmes, 7 quai St Bernard, 75005 Paris, France b IFREMER, Unité de Recherche Géosciences Marines, F-29280 Plouzané, France c UEB, Université Européenne de Bretagne, F-35000 Rennes, France d IUEM, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, CNRS UMS 3113, IUEM, F-29280 Plouzané, France *: Corresponding author : Sébastien Duperron, t el.: +33 0 1 44 27 39 95 ; fax: +33 0 1 44 27 58 01 ; email address :
[email protected] Abstract: Tubeworms within the annelid family Siboglinidae rely on sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic bacterial symbionts for their nutrition, and are among the dominant metazoans occurring at deep-sea hydrocarbon seeps. Contrary to their relatives from hydrothermal vents, sulfide uptake for symbionts occurs within the anoxic subsurface sediment, in the posterior „root‟ region of the animal. This study reports on an integrated microbiological and geochemical investigation of the cold seep tubeworm Escarpia southwardae collected at the Regab pockmark (Gulf of Guinea). Our aim was to further constrain the links between the animal and its symbiotic bacteria, and their environment.