Limestone Habitats at Southern Hydrate Ridge

Beautiful soft corals inhabit the hard carbonate substrate of the 60 foot tall Pinnacle structure west of the major seep sites at Southern Hydrate Ridge. This site, at a water depth of ~ 550 m, hosts numerous white and orange bacterial mats, marking sites of weak venting of methane-rich fluids. The almost pummice-like structure of the pinnacle provides ample places for animals to live - small shrimp are extremely abunant. The Pinnacle is likely the fossilized 'throat'/plumbing system for a more ancient seep site that once inhabited this area.

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