Stunning coral forests discovered around Sicily's deep sea volcanoes – in pictures
Scientists find a spectacular forest of bamboo coral, rare carnivorous sponges, and species never before seen in the region
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The deep waters off the coast of the Aeolian Islands are largely unexplored but are home to rich biodiversity. They are also at risk from human activity in the area
Photograph: Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Researchers aboard the Oceana Ranger catamaran spent a month exploring around the area’s underwater volcanoes to learn more about the marine life, and to support the creation of a marine protected area to preserve it
Photograph: Enrique Talledo/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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The crew filmed and took photographs up to 981m deep with an underwater robot and collected samples from the seabed. Pictured is a red starfish and damselfish
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Researchers explored seven areas of ecological interest and found critically endangered bamboo corals (pictured), tree corals, and black corals that were full of shark eggs. Also documented were a species of sea star (Zoroaster fulgens) never before seen in the Mediterranean and a fish species (Gobius kolombatovici) that was previously believed to only occur in the northern Adriatic Sea
Photograph: Oceana Rov/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Different environments were studied, including isolated seamounts, underwater banks, and hydrothermal vents formed by volcanic activity. Pictured here is a Mediterranean basket star
Photograph: Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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In the shallowest waters surveyed, scientists found areas dominated by red algae, such as coralligenous and maërl beds, which supported dense gardens of sea fans and large schools of fishes such as horse mackerel. Pictured is a golden anemone
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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At intermediate depths, black corals full of shark eggs were filmed, as well as red coral and yellow tree corals, both of which are threatened in the Mediterranean. Seen here is red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata)
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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A robust cusk-eel in coral (Dendrophyllia cornigera)
Photograph: Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Worryingly, the expedition also filmed extensive human impacts on marine life. Domestic waste was commonly encountered, including plastic tableware, glass bottles, batteries, and tyres
Photograph: Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Scientists documented damage caused by abandoned fishing gears, including millennia-old corals partially killed by entangled lines, and discarded traps and nets that continue to capture and destroy marine animals. Here TV presenter Patrick Aryee and Marta Fernández, deckhand, survey a fishing line found on the water
Photograph: Enrique Talledo/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Loggerhead turtles are among the species here that are internationally protected. This one was found dead with a fishing line hooked in its mouth
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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A scorpionfish and diver in the background
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Sea slugs (Pleurobranchus testudinarius) and brown algae
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Painted combers and damselfish
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Unicellular green algae on a dead pen shell in a Neptune-grass meadow
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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A jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) and plastic, near the port of Salina
Photograph: Enrique Talledo/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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A hermit crab spotted on a night dive
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Mediterranean rainbow wrasse, Malfa cave
Photograph: Juan Cuetos/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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A spiral tube worm (Sabella spallanzanii) near Punta Tre Pietre, Salina
Photograph: Enrique Talledo/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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Deckhand Adolfo de los Ríos collecting a big piece of plastic from the seabed during his free time. The Oceana expedition will contribute to an existing Aeolian Islands project, which aims to secure the designation of a marine protected area
Photograph: Enrique Talledo/Courtesy of Oceana Europe
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