First report of live deep-water cnidarian assemblages from the Malta Escarpment

Angeletti, L.; Mecho, A.; Doya, C.; Micallef, A.; Huvenne, V. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7135-6360; Georgiopoulou, A.; Taviani, M.. 2015 First report of live deep-water cnidarian assemblages from the Malta Escarpment. Italian Journal of Zoology, 82 (2). 1-7. 10.1080/11250003.2015.1026416

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Text © Taylor & Francis 2015 This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by in Italian Journal of Zoology, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/ doi:10.1080/11250003.2015.1026416 Manuscript_final.doc - Submitted Version Download (4MB)

Abstract/Summary

A recent geo-marine survey of the Malta Escarpment revealed for the first time the existence of live cnidarian assemblages at about 300 m depth. These associations have been observed by means of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) during surveys carried out on the upper part of the Malta Escarpment. The assemblages established on hard bedrock were chiefly composed of the antipatharian Leiopathes glaberrima. The Malta Escarpment is known to have been successfully colonised by deep-water scleractinian assemblages until the last glacial age. However, no living specimens had been observed, and only specimens of dead but relatively fresh Dendrophyllia cornigera had been reported. This area of the Mediterranean Sea, which connects the deep Ionian basin to the western Mediterranean, is largely unknown and in clear need of thorough exploration.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1080/11250003.2015.1026416
ISSN:	1125-0003
Additional Keywords:	Leiopathes glaberrima, cnidarian assemblages, Malta Escarpment, ROV, central Mediterranean
Date made live:	18 Feb 2016 13:25 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513012

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