Over historical time, Berre Lagoon (SE France, NW Mediterranean Sea) had undergone various changes. These became more significant, transforming and even disruptive since the 19th century when the channel connecting the lagoon to the sea was deepened and the surrounding areas were industrialized and urbanized. Pollution and anoxic crises were major consequences. Concomitantly, many non-indigenous species (NIS) arrived in the la...

This study focuses on the isopod fauna of the eastern Mediterranean, mainly from the waters of Lebanon. Ninety-five samples containing isopods were obtained by scuba diving (depths 0 to 44 m) at 32 stations along the coast of Northern Cyprus, Syria, and Lebanon. The substrates most frequently sampled were caves, vertical walls, and calcareous algae crusts or build-ups. A total of 502 individuals were studied, belonging to 28 s...

Diversified deep‐water corals and associated communities occur in early Pleistocene (early Calabrian; ∼1.7–1.6 Ma) calcareous crusts discovered on the south‐western coast of Karpathos Island (eastern Greece). Apart from abundant and conspicuous solitary and colonial corals (12 species), the accompanying fauna comprises mostly bivalves (10 species), serpulid worms (4 species), and bryozoans (40 species). The growth and depositi...

An excavating sponge, which covers extensive areas of limestone rock, has been found at several locations of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This zooxanthellate clionaid, brown with yellow oscula, may have an extension of several square meters under the β‐form, similar to what has been described in coral reef areas. It has been observed at 3–30 m depth, generally in clear water in the Ionian Sea, Crete, Cyprus and Lebanon. The...