cold-water coral ecosystems (order Scleractinia), or those characterized by sea fans
or soft corals (order Alcyonacea) (Ruiz-Pico et al. 2017).
Veretillum cynomorium is a very common Atlanto-Mediterranean species found
on muddy, sandy and detritic beds in shallow bottoms, but it can extend to greater
depths throughout the continental shelf. Another Atlanto-Mediterranean species is
Cavernularia pusilla, recorded from the Bay of Biscay to Senegal and sparsely
distributed throughout the Mediterranean. It inhabits coarse detritic bottoms and
“maërl” beds, reaching highest densities between 30 and 60 m depth and decreasing
in density below this range (Altuna et al. 2006). López-González (1993) recorded
this species in the Strait of Gibraltar between 14 (shallower known record) and 74 m,
with abundances of 4–5 ind. m
À2 , and it has been also found in the Alboran Sea in
the Sabinar Bank (also named “Avenzoar Bank”) (Pardo et al. 2011) and near the
Alboran Island (IUCN 2012).
Virgularia mirabilis have also a wide bathymetric and geographical distribution.
It inhabits muddy-sandy bottoms, from the infralittoral to the bathyal zones, sometimes also mixing with other pennatulaceans or forming monospecific communities
(Aguilar et al. 2017).
The sea pens of the genera Pteroeides and Pennatula are widely distributed and
can form mixed communities on the shelf edges and the beginning of the slope.
Pennatula rubra and Pteroeides griseum are more abundant from 30 to 160 m on
sandy-muddy bottoms, reaching densities of 10 specimens m
À2 (Porporato et al.
2014), while Pennatula aculeata and especially Pennatula phosphorea prefer
deeper, muddy bottoms. All these species are widely distributed throughout the
whole Mediterranean Sea, except P. aculeata, a North Atlantic species with only a
few records in the western Mediterranean, including the Granada coast in the
Alboran Sea (Ocaña et al. 2000).
Funiculina quadrangularis has a worldwide range, being common throughout
the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. It inhabits both sandy and muddy
bottoms over a wide depth range, although it is more common on compact bathyal
muds, where it can reach high densities and may appear in mixed communities with
other pennatulaceans, bamboo corals or other soft-bottom species (de la Torriente
et al. 2014). These assemblages provide an essential habitat for some commercial
crustaceans, such as Parapenaeus longirostris and Nephrops norvegicus
(Mastrototaro et al. 2017).
Kophobelemnon stelliferum (Fig. 10.12) normally lives on muddy bottoms below
400 metres, where it can occur in large aggregations, and also appears mixed with
Isidella elongata or, in some cases, with Funiculina quadrangularis and Pennatula
phosphorea (Mastrototaro et al. 2013). It has been found on some seamounts of the
Alboran Sea, such as Avempace, Cabliers or Seco de los Olivos Banks (Pardo et al.
2011; de la Torriente et al. 2018).
10 Invertebrates: The Realm of Diversity
387
or soft corals (order Alcyonacea) (Ruiz-Pico et al. 2017).
Veretillum cynomorium is a very common Atlanto-Mediterranean species found
on muddy, sandy and detritic beds in shallow bottoms, but it can extend to greater
depths throughout the continental shelf. Another Atlanto-Mediterranean species is
Cavernularia pusilla, recorded from the Bay of Biscay to Senegal and sparsely
distributed throughout the Mediterranean. It inhabits coarse detritic bottoms and
“maërl” beds, reaching highest densities between 30 and 60 m depth and decreasing
in density below this range (Altuna et al. 2006). López-González (1993) recorded
this species in the Strait of Gibraltar between 14 (shallower known record) and 74 m,
with abundances of 4–5 ind. m
À2 , and it has been also found in the Alboran Sea in
the Sabinar Bank (also named “Avenzoar Bank”) (Pardo et al. 2011) and near the
Alboran Island (IUCN 2012).
Virgularia mirabilis have also a wide bathymetric and geographical distribution.
It inhabits muddy-sandy bottoms, from the infralittoral to the bathyal zones, sometimes also mixing with other pennatulaceans or forming monospecific communities
(Aguilar et al. 2017).
The sea pens of the genera Pteroeides and Pennatula are widely distributed and
can form mixed communities on the shelf edges and the beginning of the slope.
Pennatula rubra and Pteroeides griseum are more abundant from 30 to 160 m on
sandy-muddy bottoms, reaching densities of 10 specimens m
À2 (Porporato et al.
2014), while Pennatula aculeata and especially Pennatula phosphorea prefer
deeper, muddy bottoms. All these species are widely distributed throughout the
whole Mediterranean Sea, except P. aculeata, a North Atlantic species with only a
few records in the western Mediterranean, including the Granada coast in the
Alboran Sea (Ocaña et al. 2000).
Funiculina quadrangularis has a worldwide range, being common throughout
the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. It inhabits both sandy and muddy
bottoms over a wide depth range, although it is more common on compact bathyal
muds, where it can reach high densities and may appear in mixed communities with
other pennatulaceans, bamboo corals or other soft-bottom species (de la Torriente
et al. 2014). These assemblages provide an essential habitat for some commercial
crustaceans, such as Parapenaeus longirostris and Nephrops norvegicus
(Mastrototaro et al. 2017).
Kophobelemnon stelliferum (Fig. 10.12) normally lives on muddy bottoms below
400 metres, where it can occur in large aggregations, and also appears mixed with
Isidella elongata or, in some cases, with Funiculina quadrangularis and Pennatula
phosphorea (Mastrototaro et al. 2013). It has been found on some seamounts of the
Alboran Sea, such as Avempace, Cabliers or Seco de los Olivos Banks (Pardo et al.
2011; de la Torriente et al. 2018).
10 Invertebrates: The Realm of Diversity
387