Coral gardens are vulnerable and sensitive habitats protected by the OSPAR Commission. Knowledge on their distribution is essential to provide protection and integration in marine protected areas and also for marine spatial planning actions. In the southwest coast of Portugal deep water coral gardens (50-80m) are characterized by several gorgonians species such as Paramuricea clavata … Read more
Most marine protected areas (MPAs) have been declared marine extensions of protected terrestrial ecosystems. Therefore, these protected sites are around or beside coastal or island marine reserves, natural parks, etc. That means that most of the protected seabeds are normally shallow coastal areas usually no deeper than the infralittoral zone. Deep-sea laminarians extend down to … Read more
The carnivorous sponge Asbestopluma hypogea, was known only from shallow submarine caves (-15 to -26 m) in the Western Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic. Herein A. hypogea is reported from outside of caves, on seamounts in the Alboran Sea (-167 m), off the Balearics (-100 m) and north off Sicily (-660 m), and along steep … Read more
Agglutinated foraminifera make a relatively diverse group of organisms, which is taxonomically defined as a subclass (Textulariia) and comprises four orders. The orders are based upon gross morphology, wall structure, and cement composition (Kaminski 2004). The cement that binds the test together may be organic (as in the Astrorhizida), calcareous and canaliculate (as in the … Read more
Corals are animals or animal colonies that form complex structures on the seabed and are the basis of some of the world’s richest ecosystems. Corals have very slow growth (a few millimeters per year) and are an ecologically valuable habitat for many species. Calcareous create three-dimensional structures, which offers protection, food and breeding areas for many … Read more
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