Initial Publication Date: May 10, 2006

The Pompeii Worm, Alvinella pompejana

Created by Sarah Bordenstein, Marine Biological Laboratory

In 1997, nearly 21 years after the discovery of the first hydrothermal vent system, marine biologist Craig Cary and colleagues identified the most heat-tolerant animal on Earth—Alvinella pompejana, the Pompeii worm. Pompeii worms were initially discovered by French researchers in the early 1980's and are described as deep-sea polychaetes that reside in tubes near hydrothermal vents along the seafloor. They can reach up to 5 inches in length and are pale gray with red tentacle-like gills on their heads. Perhaps most fascinating, is that their tail end is often resting in temperatures as high as 176º F, while their feather-like head sticks out of the tubes into water that is a much cooler 72º F. Scientists are attempting to understand how Pompeii worms can withstand such extreme temperatures by studying the bacteria that form a "fleece-like" covering on their backs. Living in a symbiotic relationship, the worms secrete mucous from tiny glands on their backs to feed the bacteria, and in return they are protected by some degree of insulation. The bacteria have also been discovered to be chemolithotrophic, contributing to the ecology of the vent community.

Learn More About the Pompeii Worm...

Show credits

A Moment of Silence: The Magnificent Pompeii Worm. This two-minute radio program from Indiana University discusses the magnificent Pompeii worm. The Pompeii worm resides in tubes near hydrothermal vents along the seafloor. While in the tube... ( This site may be offline. )
Hot-Water Worms May Use Bacteria as Shield. This National Geographic news article highlights research being done to study the Pompeii worm (Alvinella pompejana), the most heat tolerant complex organism on... (more info)
Keeping "Cool" at Deep-Sea Vents. This Astrobiology Magazine article reports that a research team of marine scientists has determined that water chemistry controls the location and distribution of two... (more info)
Sea Vent Viewer. This web site serves as an educational overview of National Science Foundation (NSF) earth and environmental science research focusing on hydrothermal vent systems... ( This site is likely no longer available. )
The Worm that Boasts Earth's Hottest Lifestyle. This brief Exploratoriumdispatch reports that the Pompeii worm, an inhabitant of hydrothermal vent ecosystems, can withstand hotter temperatures than any other creature... (more info)

Explore the Pompeii Worm in the Classroom

Black Smokers: Life Forms. This educational web site features life forms of deep sea hydrothermal systems. Hosted by the American Museum of Natural History, this site offers a brief introduction... (more info)
C.S.I. on the Deep Reef. In this lesson students discover the factors that are indicative of chemotrophic nutritional strategies. Students will be able to describe at least three... (more info)