Gorgonians are important organisms in the Mediterranean Sea, where they form rocky benthic communities. Four main species (3 Holaxonia and 1 Scleraxonia) are predominant in infra- and circalittoral communities of the northwestern Mediterranean basin. Other species, such as Eunicella verrucosa (Pallas, 1766), are more rarely encountered. The expansion to unusually shallow bathymetric levels has been noted in the region of Marseilles (France) (between 20 and 40 m depth). A ten-year monitoring of colonies was used to assess the growth rate according to age (size): from 3.33 cm year–1 (height <15 cm) to 0.62 cm year–1 (height>40 cm).

Depth range
20- 40 m

Mesophotic “mentions”
0 x (total of 3234 words)

Classification
* Presents original data
* Focused on 'mesophotic' depth range
* Focused on 'temperate mesophotic ecosystem'

Fields
Physiology

Focusgroups
Octocorallia (Soft Corals)

Locations
France - Mediterranean Sea

Platforms
SCUBA (open-circuit or unspecified)