Science. 1984 Nov 23;226(4677):965-7. doi: 10.1126/science.226.4677.965.
Dense biological communities of large epifaunal taxa similar to those found along ridge crest vents at the East Pacific Rise were discovered in the abyssal Gulf of Mexico. These assemblages occur on a passive continental margin at the base of the Florida Escarpment, the interface between the relatively impermeable hemipelagic clays of the distal Mississippi Fan and the jointed Cretaceous limestone of the Florida Platform. The fauna apparently is nourished by sulfide rich hypersaline waters seeping out at near ambient temperatures onto the sea floor.
在墨西哥湾深海处发现了密集的大型外生动物生物群落，类似于东太平洋海隆脊顶喷口处的生物群落。这些生物群落位于佛罗里达陡崖底部的被动大陆边缘，是相对不渗透的远源密西西比扇泥和佛罗里达台地白垩纪节理灰岩之间的界面。这些动物群显然是由富含硫化物的高盐度水在接近环境温度的情况下渗出到海底而滋养的。
