Abstract
Antipatharian corals are important structural and complex members of benthic communities inhabiting the Italian seafloor. In this study, the distribution of black corals in Italy is reported and mapped for the first time. This review has permitted the identification of occurrences of such vulnerable marine ecosystems along the Italian coasts in a bathymetric range of 42 m to 790 m. Black corals appear to be most conspicuous and widely distributed in the mesophotic zone (from around 60 to 300 m depth), with a major occurrence on the rocky bottom and shoals. This review also highlights that these communities suffer direct damage from anthropogenic impacts (fishing activity and lost garbage). Finally, this study provides evidence that the reported Italian submarine sites associated with the occurrence of black corals probably represent only a small portion of their real distribution. This finding urges the need to increase monitoring efforts to support the protection and the conservation of these pristine species assemblages.
Highlights
Black corals (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Antipatharia) are characterized by arborescent vertical or monopodial growth forming three-dimensional habitats supporting high levels of biodiversity [1,2]
The aim of this study is to present a review of the knowledge on the occurrence of black corals in the Italian seas, providing the first comprehensive distribution map of these species
This study presents an update of the current knowledge regarding the black coral distribution across Italian seas
Summary
Black corals (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Antipatharia) are characterized by arborescent vertical or monopodial growth forming three-dimensional habitats supporting high levels of biodiversity [1,2]. Within the Italian seas, five species of black corals have been reported: Antipathes dichotoma Pallas, 1766 and Antipathes fragilis, Gravier, 1918 (both Antipathidae), Leiopathes glaberrima (Esper, 1972) (Leiopathidae), Antipathella subpinnata (Ellis & Solander, 1786) (Myriopathidae), and Parantipathes larix (Esper, 1788) (Schizopathidae). The latter was lost and its taxonomic position is highly dubious [5]. Such corals are mainly found in a water depth of 60 m to 300 m [4,6], forming characteristic ecological niches hosting rich associated fauna and attracting numerous species of commercial interest [1,7]
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