How do tube worms near deep-sea vents get their nutrients?

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Diagram illustrating Earth's environmental spheres, with labeled sections showing the geosphere (land and crust), biosphere (living things), atmosphere (air), and hydrosphere (water), each extending vertically from the Earth's surface. — Biosphere Earth's environment includes the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, and the biosphere.

Tube worms, specifically vestimentiferan worms found near deep-sea vents, obtain their nutrients through a symbiotic relationship with chemoautotrophic bacteria.1

Unlike organisms that rely on photosynthesis, these worms depend on bacteria that oxidize sulfur (sulfide) to derive chemical energy. These bacteria reside within the worms and perform primary production, providing the necessary organic carbon to sustain the worms in the aphotic zone where sunlight cannot reach. This process, known as chemosynthesis, allows these unique biological communities to thrive independently of solar energy.12