Late Cretaceous hydrothermal vent communities from the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus: systematics and evolutionary significance

Modern hydrothermal vent communities are based on chemosynthesis by microbial primary producers. Molecular phylogenetic divergence estimates indicate that many of the dominant taxa arose during Cenozoic and Cretaceous; however, fossil record from these time periods is poor. One occurrence such Cretaceous pertains to six volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in Troodos ophiolite Cyprus. These represent activity deep (2500–5000 m) arc-related spreading ridge(s) Neotethyan Ocean over several million years late Cenomanian earliest Turonian. The Cyprus consist worm tubes, representing possible vestimentiferans serpulids, together with a moderate diversity abyssochrysoid gastropods, belonging eight new species (Desbruyeresia kinousaensis sp. nov., Desbruyeresia memiensis kambiaensis Hokkaidoconcha morisseaui Ascheria canni Cyprioconcha robertsoni gen. et Paskentana xenophontosi nov. dixoni nov.) five genera three families; none shared between sites. A single gaudryceratid ammonite one sites most likely represents water-logged shell sank surface waters. gastropod fauna contains first representatives Desbruyeresia, Hokkaidoconcha, vents, also youngest representative last-named genus any environment. Cypriot share tube worms slightly older (Cenomanian) younger (Turonian–Santonian) elsewhere western part Ocean.