Sartoretto and Francour 2011

Bathymetric distribution and growth rates of Eunicella verrucosa (Cnidaria: Gorgoniidae) populations along the Marseilles coast (France)

Sartoretto S, Francour P

scientific article Scientia Marina
Abstract

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).

Keywords
Metadata
Depth Range
20–40 m
Mesophotic Mentions
0 × (total of 3234 words)
Classification
  • Presents original data
  • Focused on 'mesophotic' depth range
  • Focused on 'temperate mesophotic ecosystem'
Fields
Physiology