Jordi Chias / Spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) just hatched from egg case that is on Seafan (Paramuricea clavata), Ullastres seamount, Costa Brava, Llafranch, Catalunya, Spain

Roberto Rinaldi / Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst mass of invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia) with Rainbow wrasse fish (Coris julis), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

Wild Wonders of Europe / Pitkin / Gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) on rock face covered with Yellow encrusting anemones (Parazoanthus axinellae) sponges and corals, 'Horsehead', Lavezzi Islands, Corsica, France, September 2008

Franco Banfi / Scuba diver with Red gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata), Santa Teresa, Sardinia, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Red gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) covered with mucilage, a symptom of rising sea temperature, Ventimiglia, Italy, Ligurian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Red gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) covered with mucilage, a symptom of rising sea temperature, Punta Campanella Marine Reserve, Massa Lubrense, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Red fan corals (Paramuricea clavata), Yellow gorgonian, (Eunicella cavolini) and Yellow cave-sponges (Aplysina cavernicola), Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Red gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) covered in mucilage, a symptom of rising sea temperature, Punta Campanella Marine Reserve, Massa Lubrense, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Alex Mustard / Mediterranean anthias (Anthias anthias) swarm over gorgonians (Paramuricea clavata). Marine Protected Area of Portofino (Area Marina Protetta, Portofino), Liguria, Italy. Mediterranean Sea. Model Rele...

Franco Banfi / Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) Stupiste Out dive site, Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Wall covered with Sponges (Verongia / Aplysina cavernicola) and Red gorgonia (Paramuricea clavata) Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) damaged from the high temperature of the water, covered with algae, Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) damaged from the high temperature of the water, Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Polyps of red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Catshark egg (Scyliorhinus sp) on Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) Stupiste In dive site, Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) and Yellow cluster anemones (Parazoanthus axinellae) Wall of Bisevo, Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Black coral (Gerardia savaglia) and Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) Wall of Bisevo, Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) and Yellow cluster anemone (Parazoanthus axinellae) Punta Sant'Angelo dive-site, Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) and fish, Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) and Yellow cluster anemone (Parazoanthus axinellae) Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) Yellow gorgonian (Eunicella cavolini), Yellow sponges (Aplysina cavernicola) and Yellow cluster anemone (Parazoanthus axinellae) Punta Sant'Angelo dive-site, Ischia Is...

Franco Banfi / Scuba diver and Red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) Yellow gorgonian (Eunicella cavolini) and Yellow Cluster Anemone (Parazoanthus axinellae), Punta Sant'Angelo dive-site, Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenia...

Franco Banfi / Red seafan (Paramuricea clavata) Yellow gorgonian (Eunicella cavolini) and Yellow Cluster Anemone (Parazoanthus axinellae) Punta Sant'Angelo dive-site, Ischia Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterran...

Franco Banfi / Scuba diver with Red gorgonia (Paramuricea clavata) 'Le Formiche' dive-site, Ponza Island, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean

Roberto Rinaldi / Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

Roberto Rinaldi / Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst mass of invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

Roberto Rinaldi / Diver viewing Yellow fan coral / Seafan (Paramuricea clavata) amongst mass of invasive algae (Caulerpa taxifolia), Strait of Messina, Southern Italy

Wild Wonders of Europe / Pitkin / Gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) 'Horsehead', Lavezzi Islands, Corsica, France, September 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Pitkin / Gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) on rock face covered with Yellow encrusting anemones (Parazoanthus axinellae) sponges and corals, 'Horsehead', Lavezzi Islands, Corsica, France, September 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Pitkin / Gorgonian coral (Paramuricea clavata) on rock face covered with Yellow encrusting anemones (Parazoanthus axinellae) sponges and corals, 'Horsehead', Lavezzi Islands, Corsica, France, September 2008

Fred Bavendam / Gorgonian Coral (Calcigorgia spiculifera) amidst Taylor's Colonial Tunicates (Metandrocarpa taylori), British Columbia, Canada

Albert Lleal / Gorgonian Coral (Paramuricea clavata), Spain

Fred Bavendam / Firebrick Sea Star (Asterodiscides truncatus) crawling past a Gorgonian Coral (Mopsella sp), Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia

Roberto Rinaldi / Fan Coral (paramuricea clavata) and diver, Capo Caccia, Sardinia, Italy.

Roberto Rinaldi / Diver swimming beyond gorgonian sea fans (Paramuricea clavata), Egadi Island, Sicily, Italy. Model released.

Roberto Rinaldi / Squat lobster (Galathea squamifera) on red gorgonian seafan (Paramuricea clavata), Elba, Italy.

Roberto Rinaldi / Mediterranean basket star (Astrospartus mediterraneus) red gorgonian seafan (Paramuricea clavata), Italy, Mediterranean sea.

Franco Banfi / Forkbeard / Musdea (Phycis phycis) swimming through Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata), Marine Protected area Punta Campanella, Costa Amalfitana, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea.

Franco Banfi / Gold coral (Savalia Savaglia) colonising Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata), Marine Protected area Punta Campanella, Costa Amalfitana, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea.

Franco Banfi / Spiny starfish (Marthasterias glacialis), Sponge (Sarcotragus foetidus) and Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) colonising the crossbars of a sunken electricity pylon that fell into the sea during a s...

Franco Banfi / Red and yellow gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) and Sponge (Sarcotragus foetidus) colonising the crossbars of a sunken electricity pylon that fell into the sea during a storm, Capri Island, Costa Amalf...

Franco Banfi / Shoal of Mediterranean Fairy basslet (Anthias anthias) swimming between Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) that have colonised the crossbars of a sunken electricity pylon that fell into the sea durin...

Franco Banfi / Shoal of Mediterranean Fairy basslet (Anthias anthias) swimming between Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) that have colonised the crossbars of a sunken electricity pylon that fell into the sea durin...

Franco Banfi / Shoal of Mediterranean Fairy basslet (Anthias anthias) swimming between Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) that have colonised the crossbars of a sunken electricity pylon that fell into the sea durin...

Franco Banfi / Violescent sea whip (Paramuricea clavata) Punta Campanella Marine Protected area, Costa Amalfitana / Amalfi coast, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean. October

Franco Banfi / Catshark egg, (Scyliorhinus sp.), on Red Gorgonian, (Paramuricea clavata), Punta Campanella Marine Protected area, Costa Amalfitana / Amalfi coast, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean. October

Franco Banfi / False black coral (Savalia Savaglia) against the Violescent sea whip (Paramuricea clavata) Punta Campanella Marine Protected area, Costa Amalfitana / Amalfi coast, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean...

Franco Banfi / Scuba diver with Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area, Costa Amalfitana, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Scuba diver with red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area, Costa Amalfitana, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Catshark egg cases (Scyliorhinus sp.) on Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) Banco di Santa Croce, Penisola Sorrentina, Costa Amalfitana, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Seafan / Red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) and Light-bulb sea squirt (Clavelina lepadiformis) Punta Carena, Capri Island, Sorrentine Peninsula, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) with gorgonian corals and Light-bulb sea squirt (Clavelina lepadiformis) Punta Carena, Capri Island, Sorrentine Peninsula, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) with gorgonian corals and Light-bulb sea squirt (Clavelina lepadiformis) Punta Carena, Capri Island, Sorrentine Peninsula, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Violescent sea-whip or Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) with bryozoans (Sertella septentrionalis and Pentapora fascialis), Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area, Amalfi Coast, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea,...

Franco Banfi / Crinoid or feather star (Antedon mediterranea) on Violescent sea whip or Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area, Amalfi Coast, Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean.

Franco Banfi / Fishing net caught on a Red sea fan, (Paramuricea clavata) und Yellow gorgonian, (Eunicella cavolini), Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Fishing net caught on a Red sea fan, (Paramuricea clavata), Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Cuckoo wrasse (Labrus mixtus) male in front of Red sea fan, (Paramuricea clavata), Stupiste In dive site, Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Red sea fan (Paramuricea clavata) and Yellow cluster anemone (Parazoanthus axinellae) covered with mucilage - seafans provide the best support for mucilage growth. Wall of Bisevo dive site, Vis Island...

Franco Banfi / Red sea fan, (Paramuricea clavata) marked to be studied, covered with mucilage - seafans provide the best support for mucilage growth. Gnjilina dive site. Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterran...

Franco Banfi / Swarm of Mediterranean fairy basslet, (Anthias anthias) and Red gorgonia (Paramuricea clavata) on Gnjilina dive site. Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Swarm of Mediterranean fairy basslet, (Anthias anthias) and Red gorgonia (Paramuricea clavata) on Gnjilina dive site. Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Bearded fireworm, (Hermodice carunculata) feeding on a Red sea fan, (Paramuricea clavata), on Gnjilina dive site. Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Franco Banfi / Rebreather diver and Red sea fan, (Paramuricea clavata), on Gnjilina dive site. Vis Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean