Journal Article
Basin-scale occurrence and distribution of mesophotic and upper bathyal red coral forests along the Italian coasts
MARGHERITA TOMA; MARZIA BO; RICCARDO CATTANEO-VIETTI; SIMONEPIETRO CANESE; MARTINA CANESSA; RITA CANNAS; FRINE CARDONE; LAURA CARUGATI; ALESSANDRO CAU; GIUSEPPE CORRIERO; MARIA CRISTINA FOLLESA; MARIA MERCURIO; SILVESTRO GRECO; FRANCO ANDALORO; GIORGIO BAVESTRELLO
Mediterranean Marine Science · Vol. 23, Issue 3 · pp. 484-498 · 2022
Abstract
The analysis of 879 ROV dives carried out along the Italian coasts on hard substrata at mesophotic and upper bathyal depths (40-775 m) allowed us to evaluate the current basin-scale presence, relative abundance, bathymetric limits, and habitat preferences of one of the most charismatic Mediterranean habitat-former anthozoan species, Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758). The species is widespread, and its occurrence ranged from 13% of the explored sites in Ionian Calabria to a hotspot of approximately 80% in Sardinia. Population relative densities were generally low (