What lives at the bottom of the ocean?

The deep seafloor is home to animals, bacteria, and whole communities that survive darkness, cold, and enormous water pressure. You might find sea cucumbers, brittle stars, fangtooth fish, giant isopods, glowing creatures, and life clustered around hot mineral vents.

Because plants cannot grow there, food often arrives from above as tiny sinking scraps. Near vents, though, bacteria turn chemicals into energy, feeding tube worms and other neighbors. Some animals make light, some wait patiently, and some can handle long gaps between meals.