Meadows of Antipathella subpinnata (Antipatharia, Myriopathidae) in the Calabrian coralligenous (Southern Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea)

The lower portion of the Mediterranean coralligenous assemblage (twilight zone) commonly hosts the white colonies of the black coral Antipathella subpinnata. The colonies of this species are generally single or grouped in small patches. Here we describe one of the rare wide populations of this species found in the Mediterranean Sea, forming meadows of thousands of colonies in the waters off Favazzina in the northern border of the Messina Strait (Tyrrhenian Sea). The specimens have been photographed and filmed with the aid of a ROV, while detailed georeferenced bottom profile 3D maps were obtained by means of multibeam data. Up to 50% of the Antipathella colonies are covered by masses of epibionts due in part to the damages produced on the branches by lost long-lines moved by the strong currents of the area.