scubaseason

Red Gorgonian

Paramuricea clavata

Sighting evidence at Miseno Bay Reef, Pozzuoli / Baiae

Red Gorgonian

Photo: Frédéric ANDRE · CC BY-NC

Colonies of red gorgonian fan out perpendicular to the prevailing current on the steeper sections of the Miseno wall, reaching widths of a metre or more on the deeper ledges around 25 to 35 metres. These slow-growing corals are a sentinel species for Mediterranean water temperature — bleaching events observed after heat anomalies here have been documented by researchers from the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn in Naples. Commensal brittle stars cling to the branches and cardinal fish shelter in the colony interiors.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Red Gorgonian is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites