First report of live deep-water cnidarian assemblages from the Malta Escarpment
First report of live deep-water cnidarian assemblages from the Malta Escarpment
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.
Leiopathes glaberrima, cnidarian assemblages, Malta Escarpment, ROV, central Mediterranean
1-7
Angeletti, L.
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Mecho, A.
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Doya, C.
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Micallef, A.
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Huvenne, V.
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Georgiopoulou, A.
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Taviani, M.
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April 2015
Angeletti, L.
c83c9247-0953-41e7-8c40-5f51858a14ed
Mecho, A.
9150f80b-fc40-455d-8999-25a58b32bc21
Doya, C.
98282674-58b0-4a30-87cd-cc9489a1660b
Micallef, A.
eec32039-89fd-4874-9b4c-9bc64cc67c41
Huvenne, V.
f22be3e2-708c-491b-b985-a438470fa053
Georgiopoulou, A.
cd508a3f-54d1-4334-ba9b-936e8fd42336
Taviani, M.
1e7d53ad-99e7-4f2f-817a-f2ea4b49ee7f
Angeletti, L., Mecho, A., Doya, C., Micallef, A., Huvenne, V., Georgiopoulou, A. and Taviani, M.
(2015)
First report of live deep-water cnidarian assemblages from the Malta Escarpment.
Italian Journal of Zoology, 82 (2), .
(doi:10.1080/11250003.2015.1026416).
Abstract
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.
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Published date: April 2015
Keywords:
Leiopathes glaberrima, cnidarian assemblages, Malta Escarpment, ROV, central Mediterranean
Organisations:
Marine Geoscience
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 388121
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/388121
ISSN: 1125-0003
PURE UUID: 5ab4c8a7-12c4-4276-a77d-472ba46f0fe7
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Date deposited: 18 Feb 2016 13:21
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:19
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Contributors
Author:
L. Angeletti
Author:
A. Mecho
Author:
C. Doya
Author:
A. Micallef
Author:
V. Huvenne
Author:
A. Georgiopoulou
Author:
M. Taviani
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