title: Coralligenous "atolls": discovery of a new morphotype in the Western Mediterranean Sea.
abstract: Coralligenous habitat and rhodoliths beds are very important in terms of biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea. During an oceanographic campaign, carried out in northern Cap Corse, new coralligenous structures have been discovered. These structures, never previously identified in the Mediterranean Sea, are named "coralligenous atolls" because of their circular shape. The origin and growth dynamics of these atolls are still unknown but their form does not appear to result from hydrodynamic action and an anthropogenic origin also seems unlikely. However, this kind of shape seems rather closer to that of other circular structures (e.g. pockmarks) the origin of which is related to gaseous emissions. Further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis through chemical analysis.
authors.affiliation: EqEL UMR 6134, Université de Corse, BP 52, 20250 Corte, France. bonacorsi@univ-corse.fr
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonacorsi
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pergent-Martini
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clabaut
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pergent
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D009791:Oceanography
chemical_list: D005740:Gases