DISTRIBUZIONE E PREFERENZE ECOLOGICHE DI QUATTRO SCLERATTINIE MEDITERRANEE PROFONDE POCO CONOSCIUTE

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCES OF FOUR POORLY KNOWN DEEP-WATER MEDITERRANEAN SCLERACTINIANS

Abstract

Thanks to an extensive ROV archive, the geographic and bathymetric distribution of four poorly known mesophotic and bathyal species, namely Caryophyllia cyathus (Ellis & Solander, 1786), Paracyathus pulchellus (Philippi, 1842), Thalamophyllia gasti (Döderlein,1913) and Javania cailleti (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864), were investigated. C. cyathus was observed in about 37% of the sites, mainly on deep coralligenous and outcropping rocks. P. pulchellus was the second most frequently recorded species (about 28% of the sites), found in similar ecological settings. T. gasti was reported from about 20% of the sites, mainly on rocky overhangs. Finally, J. cailleti was the least recorded species (about 4% of the sites), mainly on seamounts and continental bathyal rocky reliefs. This study also provides novel insights into the population structure of these species, underscoring the importance of their conservation as key components of the deep Mediterranean ecosystems in which they thrive.