Cave phlegmball from Salle Grande sediments
This is what lives in the high-sulfide suspended sediments of Salle Grande. These are extremophile bacterial communities (mostly composed of one dominant type of sulfur oxidizing bacteria) that are called phlegmballs. They have a texture like you might imagine: kinda hard, but still gelatinous - about halfway between a Gummi bear and Jell-O. The colors are usually yellowish, to pinkish, to clear.
This is exactly the kind of thing we were looking for: extremophile bacterial communities that live where there is a high H2S chemical gradient. This particular colony was found in the underground pond waters near the Flema Spring underwater sulfur spring. After the photograph was taken, it was put back in place.
Cave phlegmball from Salle Grande sediments
This is what lives in the high-sulfide suspended sediments of Salle Grande. These are extremophile bacterial communities (mostly composed of one dominant type of sulfur oxidizing bacteria) that are called phlegmballs. They have a texture like you might imagine: kinda hard, but still gelatinous - about halfway between a Gummi bear and Jell-O. The colors are usually yellowish, to pinkish, to clear.
This is exactly the kind of thing we were looking for: extremophile bacterial communities that live where there is a high H2S chemical gradient. This particular colony was found in the underground pond waters near the Flema Spring underwater sulfur spring. After the photograph was taken, it was put back in place.