circalittoral and bathyal rocky bottoms, mainly in the slope habitats where it may
co-occur with Madrepora oculata and Desmophyllum pertusum. In the Bay of
Biscay, D. cornigera can be found shallower and locally forms dense monospecific
aggregations between 50 and 620 m (Reveillaud et al. 2008; Sánchez et al. 2009).
Around the Canary Islands and nearby seamounts, it is the dominant coral between
200 and 600 m depth (Brito and Ocaña 2004; Almón et al. 2014a, b). In the Alboran
Sea, D. cornigera is widespread on different seamounts mainly in the 150–600 m
bathymetric range (Templado et al. 2006; Hebbeln et al. 2009; Pardo et al. 2011), but
places with dense populations are rare.
The hydrocorals belonging to the family Stylasteridae are important components
of deep coral communities, and they are worldwide distributed from shallow to deep
waters. Errina aspera is the only stylasterid known from the Mediterranean, and its
current occurrence has been confirmed only in the Straits of Messina and Gibraltar
and the Atlantic coast of Morocco (Zibrowius and Cairns 1992). The colonies of this
species reach up to 20 cm, generally show a bidimensional, fan-shaped morphology
(more rarely as bush-like colonies) and growth on rocky bottoms exposed to strong
currents (Salvati et al. 2010).
According to Salvati et al. (2010), the abundant population of E. aspera in the
Messina Strait is located between 110 and 230 m depth. In the Gibraltar Strait, this
hydrocoral has been found in a wide bathymetric range (61–443 m), but it is
particularly abundant between 150 and 330 m (Álvarez-Pérez et al. 2005). Errina
aspera has been frequently recorded in association with the giant barnacle
Pachylasma giganteum, and the gastropod Pedicularia sicula is always associated
with this hydrocoral (Zibrowius and Cairns 1992).
The scleractinians Desmophyllum pertusum and Madrepora oculata and the
stylasterid Errina aspera are currently included in Annex II of the Barcelona
Convention. The latter species is also included in Appendix II of Bern Convention.
10.3.7 Deep-Sea Oysters
Two species of the genus Neopycnodonte (family Gryphaeidae), N. cochlear
(Fig. 10.14) and N. zibrowii, form dense aggregations along the European shelf
and slope.
Neopycnodonte cochlear is distributed worldwide, both in ancient and modern
environments (Van Rooij et al. 2010). In the Mediterranean, this oyster characterizes
some areas of the continental shelf in rock outcrops and deep bioclastic gravels.
Conglomerates of N. cochlear are widespread throughout the continental shelf of the
Alboran Sea and in the Alboran Ridge between 50–300 m depth (Templado et al.
1993, 2006; Gofas et al. 2011).
The giant deep-sea oyster Neopycnodonte zibrowii was recently described from
deep water in the Azores and Bay of Biscay between 420 and 450 m depth (Wisshak
et al. 2009), but its geographical range extends from the Celtic Sea to Anna Ridge off
Angola (Beuck et al. 2016). This oyster was found thriving concealed under
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J. Templado et al.
co-occur with Madrepora oculata and Desmophyllum pertusum. In the Bay of
Biscay, D. cornigera can be found shallower and locally forms dense monospecific
aggregations between 50 and 620 m (Reveillaud et al. 2008; Sánchez et al. 2009).
Around the Canary Islands and nearby seamounts, it is the dominant coral between
200 and 600 m depth (Brito and Ocaña 2004; Almón et al. 2014a, b). In the Alboran
Sea, D. cornigera is widespread on different seamounts mainly in the 150–600 m
bathymetric range (Templado et al. 2006; Hebbeln et al. 2009; Pardo et al. 2011), but
places with dense populations are rare.
The hydrocorals belonging to the family Stylasteridae are important components
of deep coral communities, and they are worldwide distributed from shallow to deep
waters. Errina aspera is the only stylasterid known from the Mediterranean, and its
current occurrence has been confirmed only in the Straits of Messina and Gibraltar
and the Atlantic coast of Morocco (Zibrowius and Cairns 1992). The colonies of this
species reach up to 20 cm, generally show a bidimensional, fan-shaped morphology
(more rarely as bush-like colonies) and growth on rocky bottoms exposed to strong
currents (Salvati et al. 2010).
According to Salvati et al. (2010), the abundant population of E. aspera in the
Messina Strait is located between 110 and 230 m depth. In the Gibraltar Strait, this
hydrocoral has been found in a wide bathymetric range (61–443 m), but it is
particularly abundant between 150 and 330 m (Álvarez-Pérez et al. 2005). Errina
aspera has been frequently recorded in association with the giant barnacle
Pachylasma giganteum, and the gastropod Pedicularia sicula is always associated
with this hydrocoral (Zibrowius and Cairns 1992).
The scleractinians Desmophyllum pertusum and Madrepora oculata and the
stylasterid Errina aspera are currently included in Annex II of the Barcelona
Convention. The latter species is also included in Appendix II of Bern Convention.
10.3.7 Deep-Sea Oysters
Two species of the genus Neopycnodonte (family Gryphaeidae), N. cochlear
(Fig. 10.14) and N. zibrowii, form dense aggregations along the European shelf
and slope.
Neopycnodonte cochlear is distributed worldwide, both in ancient and modern
environments (Van Rooij et al. 2010). In the Mediterranean, this oyster characterizes
some areas of the continental shelf in rock outcrops and deep bioclastic gravels.
Conglomerates of N. cochlear are widespread throughout the continental shelf of the
Alboran Sea and in the Alboran Ridge between 50–300 m depth (Templado et al.
1993, 2006; Gofas et al. 2011).
The giant deep-sea oyster Neopycnodonte zibrowii was recently described from
deep water in the Azores and Bay of Biscay between 420 and 450 m depth (Wisshak
et al. 2009), but its geographical range extends from the Celtic Sea to Anna Ridge off
Angola (Beuck et al. 2016). This oyster was found thriving concealed under
392
J. Templado et al.