The hard substrata of the Mediterranean twilight zone commonly host the large, white, branched Antipathella subpinnata (Antipatharia, Myriopathidae). We discovered one of the largest populations of this black coral ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea, forming a meadow of thousands of colonies in the deep waters off the Calabrian coast (South Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea). The meadow extends from 50 to 100 m depth and is a mixed assemblage of black coral and gorgonian colonies showing specific bathymetric ranges. Antipatharians inhabit the northern slopes of the explored rocky pinnacles receiving the northward moving current of the Strait of Messina. Up to 44% of the black corals are colonized by several encrusting epibionts. A. subpinnata deserves protection since it creates an important 3-dimensional habitat and represents the most characteristic component of the lower fringe of the circalittoral twilight environment in the Mediterranean Sea.

A Mediterranean “roche du large” ecosystem, represented by four rocky shoals, located a few miles apart on a muddy bottom at 70–130 m depth in the gulf of St. Eufemia (Calabria, South Tyrrhenian Sea), was studied by means of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) photo imaging. The shoals host highly diversified coral communities, mainly composed of arborescent colonies of gorgonians (Callogorgia verticillata, Paramuricea clavata, Paramuricea macrospina, Bebryce mollis, Villogorgia bebrycoides, Corallium rubrum, and Leptogorgia sarmentosa), and antipatharians (Antipathella subpinnata, Antipathes dichotoma and Parantipathes larix). The coral colonies reach high densities (up to ca. 17 colonies m−2) and large sizes, such as the over 1.5 m wide antipatharian colonies. We hypothesized that the abundance and composition of the coral assemblages differed significantly among the rocky shoals and with respect to the surrounding soft bottoms. Various environmental variables were tested as possible explanatory factors of the observed differences. Moreover, due to their off-coast localization, we report here that these unique ecosystems are potentially subjected to a strong pressure from the local fishing activities, which were tentatively characterized. The recorded coral β-diversity among the shoals supports the hypothesis that these habitats behave like small oases of hard substrata interspersed in a muddy bottom. Because of their intrinsic beauty and rarity and their biological and ecological value, we stress the need of specific actions aimed at the urgent protection of these oases of biodiversity.

The presence of fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea has been documented since ancient times. In spite of this, reliable information on their ecology and distribution is limited to the north-western part of the basin. Recent genetic studies have demonstrated that Mediterranean fin whales comprise a separate population with very limited gene flow with their North Atlantic co-specifics. Although both published and anecdotal information reports their presence in the south central Mediterranean during winter, there is no information on habitat use. In February 2004, a 14-day boat survey was carried out in the waters surrounding the island of Lampedusa, where fin whales occur at this time of the year. A total of 20 fin whale groups (average group size two animals) were encountered. In each encounter the animals were engaged in surface feeding activity. From plankton samples and underwater video, the prey species was identified as the Euphausiid, Nyctiphanes couchi. The information obtained suggests that this area may be an important winter feeding ground for fin whales. The results represent significant new information on fin whale ecology in the Mediterranean, with associated conservation and management implications.

The giant devil ray Mobula mobular is the only mobulid species regularly present in the Mediterranean Sea. The spatial ecology and biology of this species are poorly known, and given its high bycatch mortality, low reproductive capacity, and limited range, it is listed as Endangered (A4d) on the IUCN Red List. Most of the information concerning this species has been obtained through bycatch data and opportunistic sightings. To inform conservation and management actions, it is necessary to conduct research on the behavior of giant devil rays. This study is the first attempt to systematically describe the diving behavior of this species. Three specimens were tagged with popup satellite tags in the Messina Strait (central Mediterranean Sea) during summer 2007. Two tags were programmed to detach after 120 d and 1 after 60 d. The data revealed that these fish dove to depths between 600 and 700 m. However, they spent most of their time (81.5%) between the surface and 50 m, in waters with temperatures between 20 and 29°C. The preference for shallow depth and warm surface waters exposes this species to threats such as accidental captures in driftnets and surface longlines.

In this study we characterized the deep assemblages dwelling at 200-250 m depth on a large shoal off Capo St. Vito Promontory (Northwestern coast of Sicily, South Tyrrhenian Sea) by means of ROV-imaging. Two assemblages of suspension feeders, dominated by the gorgonian Callogorgia verticillata and by the black coral Leiopathes glaberrima, together with a tanatocoenosis of the colonial yellow scleractinian coral Dendrophyllia cornigera, were examined. The three main species were significatively distributed into two areas corresponding to different habitat preferences: a more elevated hardground hosting black corals and a gently sloping, silted rocky bottom hosting the other coral species. The study area is subjected to a heavy pressure from the professional fishery, resulting in the mechanical damage of numerous colonies, some of which are then overgrown by various epibionts including a parasitic bioluminescent zoanthid, new for the Mediterranean fauna, and tentatively identified as Isozoanthus primoidus. In the Mediterranean Sea, these deep off-shore rocky banks are widely known among recreational and professional fishermen due to their rich fish fauna. However, there has been still little effort into quantifying and characterizing the extent of the impact and its consequences on the benthic communities, which may represent, as in this case, only a partial picture of their original structure and extent.