Report | July 20, 2017

Importance of seamounts-like features for Mediterranean marine habitats and threatened species

Oceana’s exploratory ROV’s dives in Western Mediterranean seamounts have collected more than 300 hours of video from deepsea ecosystem. Findings of threatened species and habitats, like carnivorous sponges, elasmobranches, coral gardens, sponge aggregations, coralligenous beds, etc. or even new species for science like giant foraminifera (Astrorhizidae), or new species for the Mediterranean (i.e. Anomocora fecunda), makes this geological features “hotspots” and shelter of species and habitats in regression or considered rare in other Mediterranean areas.

 

Learn more about Oceana’s expedition in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.