CANYONS
- The energy for this mussel bed ecosystem is derived not from sunlight, but rather methane escaping from the ocean floor. These mussels (Bathymodiolus childressi) are in an environment with high salt concentrations due to the presence of a brine seep. Stephanie Hourdez
- A close-up image of deep sea tube worms (Lamellibranchia sp.). Ian MacDonald, Texas A & M, Corpus Christi
Canyons are a major feature of the sea floor of the Gulf of Mexico. When sea levels were below the present level, rivers flowed farther on the continental shelf causing erosion. As sea levels rose, these eroded rivers transformed into deep sea canyons. The cracks and crevices present in deep sea canyons provide a diversity of habitats of various species to survive.
The Mississippi Canyon is the largest canyon in the Gulf of Mexico and is at least 3000 feet deep. The mouth of the canyon is thirty miles wide and the canyon itself is 93 miles long. This canyon is home to mussel bed, brine seeps, bacterial mats, and tubeworms. Additionally, the deep sea coral habitats of this canyon provide a depository for ovoviviparous shark egg cases.