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Extraordinary video of life clinging to the most extreme deep-sea volcanic vents ever found has been revealed by British scientists.
The vents are more than three miles (5km) below the Caribbean, and spew mineral-rich water that could be hotter than 450C.
Despite the hostile conditions, the video shows the hot springs are teeming with a new species of shrimp that has special light detectors on its back.
It is thought the special organs have evolved instead of eyes, allowing the shrimp to navigate in the faint glow far below the surface.
Thomas Moore, science correspondent
Scientists from the National Oceanographic Centre and Southampton University used a robot submarine and a deep-diving vehicle called HyBIS to locate and study the vents in the Cayman Trough, a rift in the seafloor south of the Cayman Islands.
They are almost 1,000 yards deeper than any previously discovered springs.
Marine biologist Dr Jon Copley said: "Studying the creatures at these vents and comparing them with creatures at other vents around the world will help us to understand how animals disperse and evolve in the deep ocean."
The scientists also found anemone plants, a snake-like fish, a previously unseen species of snail and a flea-like crustacean called an amphipod.
There are several vents dotted around the world's oceans. They are called black smokers because of the smoky-looking hot fluids that gush from them.
But the new research suggests the vents may be more common than previously thought.
Dr Copley added: "One of the big mysteries of deep-sea vents is how animals are able to disperse from vent field to vent field, crossing apparently large distances between them.
"But maybe there are more 'stepping stones' like these out there than we realized."
