Synagoga mira Norman, 1888 is a poorly known ascothoracidan that has never been reported since its original description in 1888, which was based on a few specimens recovered from colonies of the black coral Parantipathes larix (Esper, 1788) collected in the Gulf of Naples (Mediterranean Sea). A series of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) campaigns conducted between 2006 and 2022 along the Italian coast (western Mediterranean Sea...

Stylasterid corals are known to be fundamental habitat-formers in both deep and shallow waters. Their tridimensional structure enhances habitat complexity by creating refuges for a variety of organisms and by acting as basibionts for many other invertebrates, including sponges. Porifera represent crucial components of marine benthic assemblages and, in Antarctica, they often dominate benthic communities. Here, we explore the s...

An analysis of 483 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives carried out along the Italian coast on hard substrata at mesophotic depths (40–200 m) allowed an overview of the rich sponge diversity (53 taxa) of the deep continental platform to be obtained for the first time. About 40% of the potential actual species diversity was recognisable using ROV, suggesting that this group is among the richest yet underestimated using this te...

A 21-day continuous monitoring of a highly tridimensional forest of the black coral Antipathella subpinnata (Ellis and Solander 1786) was carried out in the NW Mediterranean Sea at 63 m depth using an autonomous lander to investigate the diel short-term dynamics of the vagile fauna associated to the forest. The survey allowed to assess several aspects of the forest attractiveness and its use, especially by the ichthyofauna, in...

Introduction The black coral Leiopathes glaberrima is a key component of deep-sea animal forests of the Western Mediterranean and North-Atlantic hard bottoms. Due to its ecological role, biological characteristics and sensitivity to fishing activities, it has been included in the Annex II of the Barcelona Convention, listed as an endangered species in IUCN Red Lists, and recognized as an indicator of Vulnerable Marine Ecosyste...

The Amendolara Bank was recently designated as a Site of Community Importance; however, information on its ecosystems remains limited, with a particular dearth of knowledge regarding the deeper zone (>100 m). Previous studies have discovered the existence of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) within the bank, underscoring the necessity for more comprehensive data and its significance in terms of conservation in the Ionian Sea...

Cold-water corals (CWCs) are bioengineering species that can increase habitat heterogeneity and improve the deep sea’s biological diversity and ecosystem functioning. Knowledge of their distribution provides a critical baseline for assessing the effect of natural and anthropogenic impacts on these important deep-sea habitats. The aims of this study are: i) provide new data on the spatial distribution of six CWCs species in the...

A widespread population of the coral Dendrophyllia ramea has been revealed southeast of Syracuse (East Sicily, Italy) at around 75 m depth. Dendrophyllia ramea is an arborescent scleractinian coral, classified as “Vulnerable” in the Mediterranean IUCN Red List and listed in Annex B of the Barcelona Convention. It is considered rare because it is seldom recorded on the Mediterranean seabed. In situ observations of two selected...

The precious coral Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758) is a charismatic Mediterranean species. A recent large-scale investigation along the Italian coast highlighted its widespread occurrence at mesophotic and upper bathyal depths, especially on coralligenous and bathyal vertical hardgrounds. The lack of morphometric data limited the considerations on the structure and health status of the populations, fundamental to identify th...

The Ocean Decade (OD) is the name of a United Nations (UN) initiative devoted to ocean science for sustainable development. It started in 2021 and will provide an opportunity to create a new foundation, across the science-policy interface, to strengthen the sustainable management of oceans and coasts and, at same time, bring benefits for future generations. The OD will establish a common strategy to achieve the objectives of t...

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...

In 2015, the Strait of Sicily, which includes several banks, was candidate as a future Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) by the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention. In this context, the present study aims to provide the first biological and ecological characterisation of this poorly known area, focusing on habitats and species of conservation concern. Surveys were carried through a remote...

In situ observation of Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) is challenging as they typically live at depths greater than 500 m, in dark and ice-covered Antarctic waters. Searching for adequate methodologies to survey Antarctic toothfish in their habitat, we tested a miniaturized Baited Remote Underwater Video camera (BRUV), deployed through holes drilled in the sea ice in the Ross Sea region, over three field seasons. In...

Demersal fish assemblages on the rocky bottoms of the Aeolian Archipelago were investigated using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) within the framework of research activities aimed at drawing up the zoning proposal of a new Italian national marine protected area. Visual assessments were conducted around the seven main islands by means of a total of 36 ROV transects. Video material was divided into 3 parts belonging to 3 Archi...