was studied (e.g. amphipods, Bellan-Santini 1983, 1985; caudofoveates,
Salvini-Plawen 1977; bryozoans, d’Hondt 1977; cephalopods, Mangold-Wirz
1973; echinoderms, Sibuet 1974).
The starting point for our knowledge of the deep-sea benthos on each side of the
Strait of Gibraltar is really the BALGIM expedition, organized in May–June 1984 by
the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle of Paris. Samples were taken with beam
trawl, epibenthic sled and rock dredge at depths between 160 and 1700 m, and an
impressive set of results was published for almost all important taxonomic groups
except gastropods and polychaetes: sponges (Boury-Esnault et al. 1994), octocorals
and antipatharians (Grasshoff 1989), hydrozoans (Ramil and Vervoort 1993), bryozoans (Harmelin and d’Hondt 1992a, b, 1993), decapods (García Raso 1996),
barnacles (Foster and Buckeridge 1995), cumaceans (Ledoyer 1987; LópezGonzález et al. 1996), pycnogonids (Stock 1987), bivalves (Salas 1996), echinoids
(David 1989), chaetognaths (Casanova 1987) and tunicates (Monniot and Monniot
1988, 1990; Turón 1988).
In 1985 and 1986, the Instituto Español de Oceanografía assessed the bottoms
exploited for red coral (Corallium rubrum), between 75 and 130 m depth, mostly on
the platform surrounding the Alboran Island. Templado et al. (1986) summarized
general data and preliminary results regarding the fauna, and later some reports were
published on particular taxonomic groups, such as sponges (Maldonado 1992, 1993)
and decapods (García Raso 1989).
The impressive 1000-m high cliff on the south face of the Alboran Ridge was
filmed from the French submersible “Cyana” during the “CyanAlboran” cruise in
September–October 1994. Sadly, the underwater images were never made available
to biologists, and virtually no results have been published.
Another major breakthrough came with the research project “Fauna Ibérica”
coordinated by the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC, Spain), aimed to
updating taxonomy and distribution data for all faunal groups and to issue authoritative monographs in due course. In this context, the FAUNA I cruise (Fig. 9.1)
sampled the Ibero-Moroccan Gulf and the Alboran Sea in July 1989, followed years
later by Fauna IV (July 1996) where particular attention was given to sampling
around the Alboran platform by diving in 0–60 m and trawling down to 450 m.
Preliminary results of the first cruise were published by Templado et al. (1993).
Study of the material collected in both cruises resulted in numerous publications on
particular taxonomic groups and the description of species new to science. A general
monograph on the benthic fauna and flora surrounding the island was issued by
Templado et al. (2006).
Since 1994, the MEDITS annual surveys provide information on demersal and
epibenthic species of trawlable grounds of the northern part of the Alboran Sea.
Although the main objective of these surveys is to carry out the assessment of
exploited demersal resources by direct methods, information on presence, abundance and biomass of epibenthic species and habitat-forming species caught with the
otter trawl have been recorded during the last decades, published in papers for
specific groups (e.g. molluscs, decapods) and used in the initial evaluation of the
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (DIR 2008/56/EC) (Abelló et al. 2002;
IEO-MAGRAMA 2012; Ciércoles et al. 2018).
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
287
Salvini-Plawen 1977; bryozoans, d’Hondt 1977; cephalopods, Mangold-Wirz
1973; echinoderms, Sibuet 1974).
The starting point for our knowledge of the deep-sea benthos on each side of the
Strait of Gibraltar is really the BALGIM expedition, organized in May–June 1984 by
the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle of Paris. Samples were taken with beam
trawl, epibenthic sled and rock dredge at depths between 160 and 1700 m, and an
impressive set of results was published for almost all important taxonomic groups
except gastropods and polychaetes: sponges (Boury-Esnault et al. 1994), octocorals
and antipatharians (Grasshoff 1989), hydrozoans (Ramil and Vervoort 1993), bryozoans (Harmelin and d’Hondt 1992a, b, 1993), decapods (García Raso 1996),
barnacles (Foster and Buckeridge 1995), cumaceans (Ledoyer 1987; LópezGonzález et al. 1996), pycnogonids (Stock 1987), bivalves (Salas 1996), echinoids
(David 1989), chaetognaths (Casanova 1987) and tunicates (Monniot and Monniot
1988, 1990; Turón 1988).
In 1985 and 1986, the Instituto Español de Oceanografía assessed the bottoms
exploited for red coral (Corallium rubrum), between 75 and 130 m depth, mostly on
the platform surrounding the Alboran Island. Templado et al. (1986) summarized
general data and preliminary results regarding the fauna, and later some reports were
published on particular taxonomic groups, such as sponges (Maldonado 1992, 1993)
and decapods (García Raso 1989).
The impressive 1000-m high cliff on the south face of the Alboran Ridge was
filmed from the French submersible “Cyana” during the “CyanAlboran” cruise in
September–October 1994. Sadly, the underwater images were never made available
to biologists, and virtually no results have been published.
Another major breakthrough came with the research project “Fauna Ibérica”
coordinated by the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC, Spain), aimed to
updating taxonomy and distribution data for all faunal groups and to issue authoritative monographs in due course. In this context, the FAUNA I cruise (Fig. 9.1)
sampled the Ibero-Moroccan Gulf and the Alboran Sea in July 1989, followed years
later by Fauna IV (July 1996) where particular attention was given to sampling
around the Alboran platform by diving in 0–60 m and trawling down to 450 m.
Preliminary results of the first cruise were published by Templado et al. (1993).
Study of the material collected in both cruises resulted in numerous publications on
particular taxonomic groups and the description of species new to science. A general
monograph on the benthic fauna and flora surrounding the island was issued by
Templado et al. (2006).
Since 1994, the MEDITS annual surveys provide information on demersal and
epibenthic species of trawlable grounds of the northern part of the Alboran Sea.
Although the main objective of these surveys is to carry out the assessment of
exploited demersal resources by direct methods, information on presence, abundance and biomass of epibenthic species and habitat-forming species caught with the
otter trawl have been recorded during the last decades, published in papers for
specific groups (e.g. molluscs, decapods) and used in the initial evaluation of the
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (DIR 2008/56/EC) (Abelló et al. 2002;
IEO-MAGRAMA 2012; Ciércoles et al. 2018).
9 Benthic Fauna of Littoral and Deep-Sea Habitats of the Alboran Sea: A. . .
287