Abstract
Although bryozoans are one of the dominant sessile phyla in Mediterranean marine caves, little information is available on the bryozoan diversity of this habitat in the eastern basin. In this study, bryozoan assemblages of two Aegean marine caves located at different depths and characterised by different morphology were studied. The examination of 30 quadrats (20 × 20 cm) scraped from the vertical walls and cave ceilings, at increasing distances from the entrances, yielded 74 taxa (67 living and 47 dead), half of which were shared by both caves. Cheilostomes largely prevailed (59 taxa) over cyclostomes and ctenostomes (14 and 1 species, respectively). Nodular to fungiform bioconstructions were formed by species with multilayered colonies in both caves. Differences in the taxonomic structure of bryozoan assemblages between the two caves as well as on the spatial variability of diversity, abundance and growth morphologies within each cave seem to be linked to the different cave morphology and associated environmental conditions. Moreover, a considerable number of taxa were reported for the first time from the Eastern Mediterranean and the marine cave habitat, supporting the idea that knowledge of their bryozoan diversity is far from being considered complete.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Eleni Voultsiadou and Drosos Koutsoubas for their support, Maria Sini for helping during fieldwork and Thanos Dailianis for providing underwater photographs. We would also like to thank Alfio Viola (University of Catania) for SEM assistance. This is contribution number 434 of the Catania Palaeontological Research Group.
Funding
This study was supported by the Research Funding Programme “Heracleitus II: Investing in knowledge society” (EU Social Fund and Greek national funds) and LifeWatchGreece research infrastructure (MIS 384676), which was funded by the Greek Government under the General Secretariat of Research and Technology (GSRT), ESFRI Projects, National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF). VG also benefited from “Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation” fellowship for postgraduate studies. Additional funds were also provided to AR by the University of Catania.
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All necessary permits for sampling and observational field studies have been obtained by the authors from the competent authorities and are mentioned in the acknowledgements, if applicable. This study has been approved by the Greek Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs, through the acceptance of a Ph.D. project proposal. The locations studied are not privately owned nor protected in any way.
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Communicated by P. Martinez Arbizu
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Rosso, A., Gerovasileiou, V., Sanfilippo, R. et al. Bryozoan assemblages from two submarine caves in the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean). Mar Biodiv 49, 707–726 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-018-0846-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-018-0846-0