AMPHIPODS FROM HYDROTHERMAL VENTS AND SEE P FIELDS OF THE OCEAN

Amphipods is an important, but poorly studied part of the ocean hydrot hermal communities. 25 amphipods species belonging to 21 genera and 10 families were found by different expeditions in the hydrothermal vent s and seep fields communities, mainly of the Northern and Eastern Paci fic Ocean. Most amphipods were collected with manned submersibles from the fixed points. Only few of these species may be considered as edif icators of hydrothermal communities, Ventiella sulfuris being the firs t. The others must be considered as elements of the ''train'' fauna, W e found representatives of three different ecological groups among the m: scavengers and active predators (main part), bottom-burrowing amphi pods and ''common'' epibenthic euryphagous and detrivorous amphipods. The hydrothermal vents and seep fields are shown to attract pelagic am phipods (including hyperiids).