ing stage occurring within the slow convergence between Africa and. Europe ...... placed as a result of an initial stage of the northern Sicilian margin evolution,.
3. Seamounts and Seamount-Like Structures of the Tyrrhenian Sea
Marzia Rovere Istituto di Scienze Marine, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Via P. Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy Marzia Bo, Jessica Alessi, Chiara Paoli, Natasha Villani, Paolo Vassallo DISTAV, Università di Genova Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy Cristina Fiori “MENKAB: il respiro del mare” Association Via Quarda Superiore, 20/6 17100 Savona, Italy and DISTAV, Università di Genova Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy Nicolò Roccatagliata, “MENKAB: il respiro del mare” Association Via Quarda Superiore, 20/6 17100 Savona, Italy
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Table 3: Seamounts and Seamount-Like Structures of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Seamount name
Lat. °
Long. °
Peak depth (m)
Base depth (m)
Page
Aceste - Tiberio Seamount
38.41736
11.51683
120-130
790-800
115
Albano Seamount
41.35898
12.05938
250-260
580-590
116
Albatros - Cicerone Seamount
40.39669
13.18365
1390-1400
2300-2310
117
Alcione Seamount
39.27159
15.29632
920-930
1750-1760
118
Anchise Seamount
38.69209
12.82098
510-520
1140-1150
119
Augusto Seamount
39.12990
12.49610
1950-1960
2240-2250
120
Baronie - K Seamount
40.60155
10.23650
160-170
1310-1320
121
Casoni Seamount
38.73095
15.19070
1040-1050
1120-1130
123
Cassinis Seamount
40.76766
11.71696
1090-1100
1680-1690
124
Catullo Seamount
39.35610
12.91848
2880-2890
3190-3200
125
Cialdi Seamount
41.84720
10.59555
300-310
1210-1220
126
Cornacya Seamount
39.11126
10.23771
1240-1250
1530-1540
127
Cornaglia Seamount
39.70234
10.65460
1030-1040
2520-2530
128
D’Ancona Ridge
39.93411
12.12106
2710-2720
3320-3330
129
De Marchi Seamount
40.22975
12.26260
2360-2370
3390-3400
130
Diamante Seamount
39.65667
15.30437
400-410
700-710
131
Drepano Seamount
38.61323
12.22538
460-470
710-720
132
Enarete Seamount
38.64233
14.00036
320-330
1650-1660
133
Enea Seamount
39.44368
11.74133
2850-2860
3220-3230
134
Enotrio Seamount
39.50153
15.34239
290-300
740-750
135
Eolo Seamount
38.56311
14.15862
640-650
1360-1370
136
Etruschi Seamount
41.66705
10.36715
310-320
990-1000
137
Farfalle Seamount
40.43822
12.47504
2450-2460
3140-3150
138
Finale structure High
38.30456
14.15919
800-810
1280-1290
139
Flavio Gioia Seamount
40.04247
13.04610
2100-2110
2900-2910
140
Giulio Cesare - Caesar Seamount
38.61729
11.44669
1150-1160
1610-1620
141
Garibaldi - Glauco Seamount
39.10907
13.78836
1770-1780
2370-2380
142
Glabro Seamount
39.51302
15.16295
850-860
1190-1200
143
Gortani Ridge
40.27171
12.46722
3110-3120
3460-3470
144
Ichnusa Seamount
38.75063
9.58249
190-200
960-970
145
Issel Seamount
39.68378
13.66253
1910-1920
2650-2660
146
Lametino 1 Seamount
39.05503
15.39613
950-960
1810-1820
147
Lametino 2 Seamount
39.00910
15.32143
1370-1380
2140-2150
147
Lucrezio Seamount
38.97996
13.25028
2680-2690
3310-3320
148
Major Seamount
39.69708
11.28346
2060-2070
2790-2800
149
Magnaghi - V.Emanuele Seamount
39.90917
11.77930
1530-1540
3140-3150
150
Marsili - Plinio Seamount
39.28405
14.39681
570-580
3170-3180
151
Marussi Seamount
40.60884
10.56331
1040-1050
1520-1530
152
Monte della Rondine
40.22161
11.67480
1950-1960
2370-2380
153
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TYRRHENIAN SEA
Seamount name
Lat.
Long.
Peak depth (m)
Base depth (m)
Page
Orazio Seamount
39.33150
13.41620
3000-3010
3330-3340
154
Ovidio Seamount
39.55649
15.46812
240-250
370-380
155
Palinuro-Strabo Seamount
39.48455
14.82892
70-80
1570-1580
156
Pompeo Seamount
38.59667
11.80853
1040-1050
1300-1310
158
Poseidon Seamount
39.72609
13.83795
1640-1650
2140-2150
159
Prometeo Seamount
38.62567
13.46877
1830-1840
2140-2150
160
Quirra Seamount
39.31691
10.32088
890-900
1590-1600
161
Sallustio Seamount
39.75541
10.91509
2410-2420
2730-2740
162
San Vito Ridge
38.32516
12.85033
580-590
720-730
163
Sardinia Seamount
40.02648
10.13769
1190-1200
1460-1470
164
Scuso Seamount
38.26734
12.55012
87
290-300
165
Secchi - Adriano Seamount
40.44694
11.70386
1220-1230
2420-2430
166
Sele Seamount
40.29675
14.20890
240-250
720-730
167
Selli Line Seamount
40.23431
11.76898
1980-1990
2370-2380
168
Sirene Seamount
40.25926
13.92116
660-670
1050-1060
169
Sisifo Seamount
38.78828
13.85064
1080-1090
2010-2020
170
Solunto Structural High
38.41578
13.74908
700-710
1320-1330
171
Tacito Seamount
40.18627
13.56702
1150-1160
1520-1530
172
Tiberino Seamount
41.66814
11.54940
290-300
770-780
173
Tibullo Seamount
39.76375
12.83646
3070-3080
3540-3550
174
Tito Livio Seamount
39.35462
10.91430
2270-2280
2660-2670
175
Traiano Seamount
38.98816
12.22970
1920-1930
2290-2300
176
Vavilov Seamount
39.85498
12.61264
820-830
3150-3160
177
Vercelli Seamount
41.10792
10.90581
60-70
1000-1010
178
Vespasiano Seamount
38.79367
12.76689
1530-1540
1850-1860
180
Virgilio Seamount
39.30674
12.51836
2650-2660
3040-3050
181
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Seamounts and Seamount-Like Structures of the Tyrrhenian Sea: general map.
42
Cialdi Tiberino Etruschi
Albano Vercelli Cassinis
Baronie/K
Secchi/Adriano
Marussi
Monte della Rondine Sardinia
Quirra
De Marchi
V.Emanuele/Magnaghi
Sallustio Cornaglia
Sirene
Flavio Gioia
Tacito
Vavilov
Catullo
Virgilio
Issel Orazio
Augusto Lucrezio
Traiano
Ichnusa
Vespasiano
Drepano
G.Cesare/Caesar
Pompeo
Anchise San Vito
Aceste/Tiberio
Scuso
Sele 40
Poseidone
Tibullo
Enea
Cornacya
Albatros/Cicerone
Gortani
D'Ancona
Major
Tito Livio
Farfalla
Selli
Palinuro/Strabo
Marsili/Plinio
Garibaldi/Glauco Sisifo
Enarete
Prometeo
Eolo
Solunto
Diamante
Glabro
Alcione
Ovidio Enotrio
Lametino 1 Lametino 2 Casoni
Finale 38
8
10
12
14
16
170 km
The Tyrrhenian Sea is a complex sea area, not only due to the rifting stage occurring within the slow convergence between Africa and Europe, but also because all happened in a very restricted area and very limited time frame, that is the main reason why it hosts such a large number of seamounts, compared to the other sea regions. The opening started about 10 Ma in its NW corner (Vavilov Basin), the Calabrian and Peloritan massifs began to separate from the Sardinia block to create the Tyrrhenian basin. Soon after the rifting and oceanization migrated to the SE towards the Marsili Basin, where ocean crust is believed to have been emplaced between 2 Ma and a few hundreds of thousands years ago (Sartori, 2005b). Most of the seamounts are therefore the result of Plio-Quaternary volcanism, associated with continental stretching and mantle upwelling or are
former continental faulted blocks of the conjugate margins, the western Sardinian and the eastern Latium-Campanian in the north, and the Sicilian and Calabrian margins in the south. The opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea was probably caused by a slab roll-back of the old and dense Ionian oceanic crust subducting towards the NW under NE Sicily and the Calabrian Arc (Malinverno and Ryan, 1986). The deep magmas generated an overlying volcanism that formed the Aeolian Arc and other seamounts located in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The rock composition thus reflects the position of the structures within the geodynamic context, the time when they were formed and roughly ranges from intraplate (oceanic and MORB-like tholeiitic, Na-alkaline) to arc-type magmatism (arc-tholeiitic, calc-alkaline, potassic) to very old cristalline basement (Kastens et al., 1988).
114
TYRRHENIAN SEA
STRUCTURE:
Aceste - Tiberio Seamount
Location: 38.41736°N – 11.51683°E Peak depth (m): 120-130 Base depth (m): 790-800
18 km
DESCRIPTION:
Life on and around the Seamount
Geology
The rich benthonic communities of the Aceste Seamount have been recently revealed by a ROV survey (Aguilar et al., 2013). Numerous vulnerable rocky bottom ecosystems have been observed, such as cold water coral reefs (Desmophyllum dianthus, Stenocyathus vermiformis, Caryophyllia spp., Pourtalosmilia anthophyllites, Javania caileti, Anomocora fecunda, Dendrophyllia spp.) and coral gardens (Paramuricea spp., Eunicella spp., Viminella flagellum, Callogorgia verticillata, Acanthogorgia spp., Placogorgia coronata, Swiftia pallida, Muriceides lepida, Villogorgia bebrycoides, Bebryce mollis, Nicella granifera). Also rich soft bottom assemblages have been recorded made of gorgonians and pennatulaceans (Isidella elongata, Pennatula spp., Pteroeides spinulosum, Virgularia mirabilis, Veretillum cynomorium, Kophobelemnon stelliferum, Funiculina quadrangularis) together with crinoids beds (Leptometra phalangium) and brachiopod beds (Gryphus vitreus) on detritic bottoms. A previous ROV survey conducted on the Aceste Seamount reported also the occasional presence of large antipatharian corals and frequent patches of the yellow scleractinian Dendrophyllia cornigera (Freiwald et al., 2011). The same survey reported also plenty trawled coral colonies and lost fishing gear.
The Aceste Seamount is a 60-km-long ridge made of magmas of the Oceanic Island Basalt-type (Serri et al., 2001). Aceste was emplaced ~ 5 Ma and then magmatism progressed to the E together with the E-SE migration of the Ionian subduction zone. The northern flank of the Seamount is affected by an amphitheatre-like depression possibly reflecting a sector collapse. Accordingly, the positive magnetic anomaly, registered over the Aceste Seamount, may be related to the seamount plumbing system denudated by the collapse of the northern flank (De Ritis et al., 2010). The Aceste Seamount corresponds with the Tiberio Seamount in Finetti and Del Ben (1986).
The Aceste Seamount is an area of high importance for elasmobranchs. In fact, various protected elasmobranches have been reported around the Aceste Seamount (Oxynotus centrina, Centrophorus granulosus, Leucoraja circularis, Cetorhinus maximus, Squalus acanthias, Carcharodon carcharias and Squalus blainvillei) (Aguilar et al., 2013; Baino et al., 2010).
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STRUCTURE:
Albano Seamount
Location: 41.35898°N – 12.05938°E Peak depth (m): 250-260 Base depth (m): 580-590
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Albano Seamount reaches 250 m water depth in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea, just 45 km offshore the coast of Anzio and the name is related to the region of the Albano Lake. The Albano Seamount is not very well known and it was discussed only in the scientific papers that came out after the first seismic and geological explorations of the Italian seas in the early ‘60s. It was mentioned for example in Savelli and Wezel (1980). Biogenic calcareous sands characterized by the presence of bryozoans and brachiopods were sampled on its summit area (Finetti and Del Ben, 1986). Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin herds (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Albano Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about benthic communities of the Albano Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
17 km
116
TYRRHENIAN SEA
STRUCTURE:
Albatros - Cicerone Seamount Location: 40.39669°N – 13.18365°E Peak depth (m): 1390-1400 Base depth (m): 2300-2310
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Albatros Seamount (Barberi et al., 1991) is also known as Cicerone Seamount in Finetti and Del Ben (1986). The Albatros Seamount was recognized as a positive magnetic anomaly in Cella et al. (1998) and is now interpreted to be comprised of Island Arc-type basalts, like those ones sampled at Ocean Drilling Program Site 651 (Trua et al., 2004). Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Albatros Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Alcione Seamount
Location: 39.27159°N – 15.29632°E Peak depth (m): 920-930 Base depth (m): 1750-1760
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Alcione Seamount is a ~ 1000 m-high conical volcano located on an almost flat seafloor in the lower slope of the northern Calabria continental margin. Dredge samples indicate a calc-alkaline basaltic composition (Beccaluva et al., 1985). The top of the volcano is characterised by two summit areas, separated by a NNW-SSE trending, 100 m-relief arcuate scarp that displaces downwards the western part of the edifice. The volcano is associated with fault systems, but geophysical data suggested that no significant tectonic activity is now present (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). Water samples collected over Alcione show a 3 He/4He isotope ratio, an unambiguous indicator of hydrothermal input, close to the regional background values, suggesting either absence or very weak hydrothermal activity (Lupton et al., 2011). Life on and around the Seamount A survey study on the spatio-temporal distribution patterns of large predatory sharks carried out in the Calabrian waters showed the presence of different shark species (Prionace glauca, Hexanchus griseus, Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrhincus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Lamna nasus, Odontaspis ferox and Sphyrna lewini) in the sea area belonging to the Tyrrhenian basin that bathes the region and in particular close to the Alcione Seamount (Sperone et al., 2012). No information about the benthic communities of the Alcione Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
118
TYRRHENIAN SEA
STRUCTURE:
Anchise Seamount
Location: 38.69209°N – 12.82098°E Peak depth (m): 510-520 Base depth (m): 1140-1150
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Anchise Seamount is located west of the Island of Ustica and together with the Drepano and Aceste Seamounts makes up the so called Ustica Ridge. It is dated 3.5-5.3 Ma and it has been interpreted to be part of a relict Pliocene central calcalkaline volcanic arc, active in the central Tyrrhenian Sea at the time during the southeastward rifting migration (Kastens et al., 1988). Calc-alkaline and shoshonite suites characterize the Anchise Seamount, and differ from the Na-alkali basalts Oceanic Island Basalt-type lavas of the nearby Ustica Island (Calanchi et al., 1984; Trua et al., 2004). Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and different species of pelagic fish, mainly scombridae and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) close to the Anchise Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Anchise Seamount is available in scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Augusto Seamount
Location: 39.12990°N – 12.49610°E Peak depth (m): 1950-1960 Base depth (m): 2240-2250
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Augusto Seamount is located in the lower slope of the northern Sicilian margin and and ranges from 3100 m to 1950 m water depth. It is composed of fragments of continental crust and magmatic effusions. Augusto has also a small lateral volcanic center (Cella et al., 1998). Life on and around the Seamount The presence of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and the sperm whale (Physeter catodon) close to the Augusto Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). No information about the benthic communities of the Augusto Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
120
TYRRHENIAN SEA
STRUCTURE:
Baronie - K Seamounts
Location: 40.60155°N – 10.23650°E Peak depth (m): 160-170 Base depth (m): 1310-1320
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Baronie Seamount extends N-S along the eastern Sardinian margin for about 100 km, and can be divided into three sectors: the northern and southern sectors have triangular shapes and reliefs of 1200 m and 950 m, while the central sector shows a N-S-rectilinear trend. It has two summit areas, at 162 m and 168
m water depth, characterized by a flat morphology and a thin sedimentary cover. The western flank of the Baronie Seamount, is the steeper one, averaging a dip of 27° in the northern sector and 13° in the southern sector. The Baronie is made of Variscan or older basement rocks, intruded by late Hercynian (about 300 Ma) granitoids, with thin, un-deformed Mesozoic cover characterized by Triassic lithotypes of ‘‘German facies’’ (Sartori et al., 2004). These rocks were not involved in the Alpine orogenic cycle, crop out along the backbone of the Baronie Seamount and at the Cornaglia Seamount, and are covered by Serravallian-early Tortonian to Pliocene-Pleistocene sediment (Sartori et al., 2004). Tethyan ophiolites, including their cover sequences have been sampled in the southeastern wing of the Baronie Seamount.
17 km
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Life on and around the Seamount The Baronie Seamount represents an important ad exploited trawling ground for Mediterranean shrimps, in particular for Aristeus antennatus and Aristaeomorpha foliacea. A recent study conducted over the peak highlighted the occurrence of a rich benthic community, with the collection of 94 species, among which, 48 bony fishes, 9 cartilaginous fishes, 13 molluscs and 24 crustaceans (Sabatini et al., 2011). Various species, as the two red shrimps, showed some daily and nocturnal movements, probably linked to trophic requirements and related to size and sex of the specimens. In shrimps, the diurnal movements mainly involve the females and are carried out from the base of the seamount to the edge of the continental shelf. The seamount, due to its geomorphological conformation made of steep flanks and canyons, offers these species the opportunity to very quickly span a considerable range of depths (Sabatini et al., 2011). A recent ROV survey, conducted between 270 and 360 m water depth along the eastern flank of the mount, revealed the presence of sparse rocks, covered by a Fe and Mn crusts together with encrusting sponges and ascidians. The rocky habitat hosts cidarid sea urchins, holothurians, the sea star Peltaster placenta, various cnidarians (anemones and gorgonians) and the decapods Munida sp. and Plesionika sp. (Bo, pers. observ.). The scleractinian Dendrophyllia cornigera was observed only dead both in the rocky conglomerates and on the sea bottom as sparse colonies. The observed fish assemblage included Helicolenus dactylopterus, Capros aper, Epigonus telescopes and various specimens of the shark Hexanchus griseus (Bo, pers. observ.).
122
The presence of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Baronie Seamount was confirmed during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). The Gionha Project report (Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region, ARPAT): “Acoustic and Visual Monitoring Campaign in the Tyrrhenian Sea” showed the presence of different species of dolphins close to the Baronie Seamount (Pavan et al., 2011). The results of field researches conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and different species of pelagic fish, mainly Scombridae, Thunnus thynnus and swordfish (Xiphias gladius), close to the Baronie Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015).
TYRRHENIAN SEA
STRUCTURE:
Casoni Seamount
Location: 38.73095°N – 15.19070°E Peak depth (m): 1040-1050 x Base depth (m): 1120-1130
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology Casoni is a very small seamount located southwest of the Stromboli volcanic edifice and was discovered during a recent survey in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Gamberi et al., 2006). It was named after a late technician who worked at the Marine Science Insitut of the National Research Council of Italy (ISMARCNR). Dredging of Casoni Seamount recovered volcanic samples that were still warm once recovered on the deck of the ship. During a special expedition of the R/V Nautilus, no hydrothermal venting was apparent, but well-exposed pillow basalts and breccias were video-recorded, indicating probable young submarine volcanism. Large mounds, probably caused by inflation of the submarine flows, were observed (Carey et al., 2012). Life on and around the Seamount The presence of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Casoni Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). A survey study on the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of large predatory sharks carried out in the Calabrian waters showed the presence of differents shark species (Prionace glauca, Hexanchus griseus, Cetorhinus maximus, Ccarcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrhincus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Lamna nasus, Odontaspis ferox and Sphyrna lewini) in the sea area belonging to the Tyrrhenian basin that bathes the region and in particular close to the Casoni Seamount (Sperone et al., 2012). No information about the benthic communities of the Casoni Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Cassinis Seamount
Location: 40.76766°N – 11.71696°E Peak depth (m): 1090-1100 Base depth (m): 1680-1690
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Cassinis Seamount is an arcuate-shaped 50 km-long ridge comprised of Tethyan ophiolites, including their cover and Tertiary syn-orogenic carbonateterrigenous sequences (Sartori et al., 2004). The seamount was named after Gino Cassinis (1885-1964), a famous geodesist who launched gravimetry studies in Italy. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin herds (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Cassinis Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Cassinis Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
124
TYRRHENIAN SEA
STRUCTURE:
Catullo Seamount
Location: 39.35610°N – 12.91848°E Peak depth (m): 2880-2890 Base depth (m): 3190-320
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Catullo Seamount is located in the central part of the southern Tyrrhenian Sea, but appears with this name only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986). No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Catullo Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Cialdi Seamount
Location: 41.84720°N – 10.59555°E Peak depth (m): 300-310 Base depth (m): 1210-1220
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Cialdi Seamount is a 36 km-long N-S oriented structural ridge, located 10 km to the east of the Etruschi Seamount in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea. It shows steep western and eastern sediment starved slopes, and reaches 345 m minimum water depth, at its flat top area. Here dredges recovered metamorphic rocks with green schist facies superimposed to blue amphibole facies, similar to the units of the Western Alps and Alpine Corsica (Fabbri et al., 1981). Dredge samples yielded calcareous hardgrounds between 1073 and 450 m and between 494 and 358 m, biogenic sands and pebbles (Wezel, 1981). The Cialdi Seamount is bounded eastward by a normal fault and may have rotated along it as a block, during the continental rifting and subsequent stretching of the eastern Tyrrhenian margin (Moeller et al., 2013). The name Giglio Ridge for Cialdi Seamount has been reported by US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (1). Life on and around the Seamount Recent rock samplings recovered a high number of fossil A. excavata and represent the first known marine occurrence of this species in lithified Pleistocene deposits dredged from Seamount flanks (López Correa et al., 2005). All rock samples showed a black stained irregular surface with dissolution cavities and partly lithified yellowish brown mud. The interior was built up of micrite containing numerous fossils, dominated by Gryphus vitreus and A. excavata (~8 cm), associated with Desmophyllum cristagalli, Stenocyathus vermiformis, Lophelia pertusa and large oysters. Thin black manganese veneers and irregular seams mark dissolutional horizons. Rock surfaces were densely populated by Vermiliopsis monodiscus and Protula sp., which occur also as fossils within the rock (López Correa et al., 2005).
8 km
Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) specimens have been sighted close to the Cialdi Seamount during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). A visual sampling carried out by Ferry ships on the route between Civitavecchia and Golfo Aranci has identified a high density area of cetaceans in the stretch of sea between Tiberino, Cialdi, Vercelli Seamounts and on the ridge between Etruschi and Baronie. In particular, the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), the Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) and the long finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) have been sighted close to the Cialdi Seamount (Marini et al., 1996; Pavan et al., 2011). The high primary production area, surrounding Cialdi Seamount, supports many different shark and ray species (Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharhinus brachyurus, Hexanchus griseus, Alopias spp., Scyliorhinus canicula, Galeus melastomus, Etmopterus spinax, Raja clavata, Raja asterias). For most of them, this area acts as well as a nursery (Baino et al., 2010). 1) http://www.geographic.org/geographic_names/name.php?uni=238243&fid=6435&c=un dersea_features
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STRUCTURE:
Cornacya Seamount
Location: 39.11126°N – 10.23771°E Peak depth (m): 1240-1250 Base depth (m): 1530-1540
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Cornacya Seamount is a 20 to 12 Ma old volcano, located along the southeastern Sardinian margin, south of the Quirra Seamount. It was discovered and named during a French submersible dive in 1994 (Mascle et al., 2001). The Cornacya Seamount is formed of K-rich shoshonitic andesites and was likely emplaced during the beginning of the post-collisional lithospheric extension of the Corsica-Sardinia continental block when it ended its anti-clockwise rotation and arc-volcanic behaviour, when the Tyrrhenian Sea was next to open in the Late Miocene (Mascle et al., 2001). Life on and around the Seamount The presence of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Cornacya Seamount was confirmed during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). The Gionha Project report (Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region, ARPAT): “Acoustic and Visual Monitoring Campaign in the Tyrrhenian Sea” showed the presence of different species of dolphins as well as Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) and sperm whale (Physeter catodon) close to the Cornacya Seamount (Pavan et al., 2011). No information about the benthic communities of the Cornacya Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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Cornaglia Seamount
Location: 39.70234°N – 10.65460°E Peak depth (m): 1030-1040 Base depth (m): 2520-2530
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Cornaglia Seamount is sometimes referred to or mistaken with the Virgilio Seamount. It is a volcanic body lying on the continental crust of the Western Cornaglia Terrace, which corresponds to a rather flat area, averaging 2800 minimum water depth, in the middle slope of the eastern Sardinian margin (Gaullier et al., 2013). The Cornaglia Seamount is associated with both magnetic and gravity anomaly (De Ritis et al., 2010). Recent seismic reflection profiles show very thin Plio-Quaternary sedimentary cover and no Messinian sediments on top of the Cornaglia Seamount (Gaullier et al., 2013). The Cornaglia Terrace was the earliest center of extension of the Tyrrhenian Sea about 10 Ma, as demonstrated also by the presence of pre-Messinian sediments in the sedimentary succession. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Cornaglia Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Cornaglia Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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D’Ancona Ridge Seamount
Location: 39.93411°N – 12.12106°E Peak depth (m): 2710-2720 Base depth (m): 3320-3330
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The D’Ancona Ridge Seamount is an arc-shaped NNW-SSE oriented at least 30 km-long structure. It is located between the Magnaghi and the Vavilov Seamounts and closely resembles a fault lineament. No rock or sediment samplings are available for this ridge, notwithstanding, it has been interpreted both as a faulted continental block and as a complex element of serpentinized mantle tectonically superimposed by thin intervals of stretched continental crust (Sartori et al., 2004). Recent geophysical modeling of the deep Tyrrhenian structure suggest that it might also correspond to a basaltic intrusion into the mantle basement forming the root of a volcanic edifice (Prada et al., 2013). The seamount was named after the ship Umberto d’Ancona, which served the Italian National Research Council research fleet for more than 30 years. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) close to the D’Ancona Ridge (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the D’Ancona Ridge Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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De Marchi Seamount
Location: 40.22975°N – 12.26260°E Peak depth (m): 2360-2370 Base depth (m): 3390-3400
DESCRIPTION: Geology The De Marchi Seamount is an asymmetrical 30 km-long ridge, with a steep (16°) eastern flank, and a gentler (10°) western flank, located between the Gortani Ridge and the Selli Ridge. Dredge hauls and observations from submersibles on the steep eastern flank of De Marchi Seamount have shown that the basement contains probable Paleozoic and Mesozoic strata and low-grade metamorphic rocks including phyllites and metagabbros (Gennesseaux et al., 1986). The De Marchi Seamount is the eastern most continental fault-bounded tilted block of the lower Sardinian margin, adjacent to the inferred transition between stretched continental and oceanic crust of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Here the Ocean Drilling Program Site 656 has been drilled through Tethyan ophiolites, including their cover sequences (Kastens et al., 1987; Sartori et al., 2004). Seismic reflection profiles across the site show a thin, westward-thickening wedge of sediment tapering against the gentle western flank of the tilted block, interpreted as a syn-rift sequence, overlain by an on-lapping sequence of postrift turbidites. Marco De Marchi (1872-1936) was an amateur biologist and he founded the institute for limnology studies on the shores of Lake Maggiore, which is now part of the Italian National Research Council. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the De Marchi Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). 9 km
No information about the benthic communities of the De Marchi Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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Diamante Seamount
Location: 39.65667°N – 15.30437°E Peak depth (m): 400-410 Base depth (m): 700-710
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Diamante Seamount is a complex 20 km-long E-W elongated structure, dissected by NE-SW oriented probable listric faults and it is located just north of the Enotrio Seamount. It reaches 380 m water depth. In Bigi et al. (1990) the Diamante Seamount was interpreted to be an outcrop of crystalline acoustic basement. The seamount, which remains unsampled, is associated with a strong aeromagnetic anomaly, for this reason it has been suggested a volcanic or intrusive character (Cella et al., 2008). The name is due to the nearby town of Diamante, which is located onshore exactly on the same E-W trend. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of the fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Diamante Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). A survey study on the spatiotemporal distribution’s patterns of large predatory sharks carried out in the Calabrian waters showed the presence of different shark species (Prionace glauca, Hexanchus griseus, Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrhincus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Lamna nasus, Odontaspis ferox and Sphyrna lewini) in the sea area belonging to the Tyrrhenian basin that bathes the region and in particular around the Diamante Seamount (Sperone et al., 2012). No information about the benthic communities of the Diamante Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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Drepano Seamount
Location: 38.61323°N – 12.22538°E Peak depth (m): 460-470 Base depth (m): 710-720
43 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Drepano Seamount is a 5 Ma volcano which is made of Oceanic Island-type basalts (Serri et al., 2001) and is associated with a prominent magnetic anomaly in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The Deprano Seamount is possibly also formed by ophiolite and ophiolite-bearing Europe-verging thrust units (Finetti, 2005). Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) close to the Drepano Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Drepano Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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Enarete Seamount
Location: 38.64233°N – 14.00036°E Peak depth (m): 320-330 Base depth (m): 1650-1660
9 km
DESCRIPTION:
Life on and around the Seamount
Geology
A recent ROV survey conducted on numerous seamounts and banks in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea off the coasts of Sicily has revealed the rich benthonic communities of the Enarete Seamount (Aguilar et al., 2013). Among the most important observed communities there are cold water coral reefs representing recognised vulnerable ecosystems. Various species of scleractinians have been observed on the mount, such as Desmophyllum dianthus, Stenocyathus vermiformis, Caryophyllia spp., Pourtalosmilia anthophyllites, Javania caileti, Anomocora fecunda, and Dendrophyllia spp. The benthic community incudes also various species of protected sponges as Asbestopluma hypogea (Aguilar et al., 2011), Spongia agaricina, Aplysina spp. and Tethya spp. A previous ROV survey detected thick hydrothermal Fe-Mn crusts occasionally blanketed by pelagic sediments (Freiwald et al., 2011). The black crusts were also found on fossil corals and mollusc shells. Only Dendrophyllia cornigera was found alive, while all other colonial scleractinians were fossilised.
The Enarete Seamount lies 10 km to the NW of the Eolo Seamount and is an almost symmetrical volcanic cone elongated in a NW-SE direction with a minimum depth of ~ 280 m. It is asymmetric in height, ranging between 1700 m and 1450 m in its northern flank (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). About 3 km west from the base of Enarete, a small, 500 m-high cone is present at the seafloor. Basalt rocks, dated 0.78-0.67 Ma, were dredged from the volcano (Beccaluva et al., 1985). Manganese crusts, consisting of porous, black, layered Mn oxides up to 45 mm-thick and with a high Mn/Fe ratio of 347, were recovered in the ‘80s (Eckhardt et al., 1997). Underwater TV profiles showed evidence of lowgrade hydrothermal activity including yellow (Fe oxyhydroxide) and brown (Mn oxide) staining of sediment. Hydrothermal active discharge was confirmed by δ 3He anomalies in water samples collected over the top of the volcano (Lupton et al., 2011). Outcrops of manganese-encrusted lava flows were readably abundant during a recent ROV survey. At the summit of the volcano, fluids with temperatures up to 5° C above the ambient seawater were actively discharging. Bacteria and small chimneys composed of iron oxides are common in this area (Carey et al., 2012).
A high occurrence of lost long-lines was detected near the summit of the peak. The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) close to the Enarete Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015).
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Enea Seamount
Location: 39.44368°N – 11.74133°E Peak depth (m): 2850-2860 Base depth (m): 3220-3230
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Enea Seamount is a relatively small seafloor high, which appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986). No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Enea Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). No information about the benthic communities of the Enea Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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Enotrio Seamount
Location: 39.50153°N – 15.34239°E Peak depth (m): 290-300 Base depth (m): 740-750
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Enotrio Seamount is a complex slightly 10-km-long E-W elongated structure, dissected by NE-SW oriented probable listric faults and it is located just east of the Glabro volcano. It reaches 250 m water depth. In Bigi et al. (1990) the Enotrio Seamount had been interpreted to be an outcrop of crystalline acoustic basement. The seamount, which remains unsampled, is associated with a strong aeromagnetic anomaly, for this reason it has been suggested a volcanic or intrusive character (Cella et al., 2008). The name is due to the ancient pre-roman population, the Enotri, who settled between the southern Campania and northern Calabria around XV century B.C. Life on and around the Seamount A survey study on the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of large predatory sharks carried out in the Calabrian waters showed the presence of differents shark species (Prionace glauca, Hexanchus griseus, Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrhincus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Lamna nasus, Odontaspis ferox and Sphyrna lewini) in the sea area belonging to the Tyrrhenian basin that bathes the region and in particular close to the Enotrio Seamount (Sperone et al., 2012). No information about the benthic communities of the Enotrio Seamount has been found in scientific literature.
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Eolo Seamount
Location: 38.56311°N – 14.15862°E Peak depth (m): 640-650 Base depth (m): 1360-1370
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Eolo Seamount is a submarine volcano located 20 km west of the Alicudi Island and 14 km to the SE of the Enarete Seamount. It is characterised by irregular flanks, and a ~ 800 m-deep and 3 x 2 km-wide flat summit area, elongated in a NW-SE direction (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). The summit area is bounded by linear borders (75 to 125 m high), except for the SW side of the volcano, where the summit area terminates at a 300 m deep scarp surrounded by 3 small cones (350 m, 250 m and 175 m high) which form a circular depression, possibly corresponding with a caldera. Dredge hauls from Eolo include basalts, dacites and rhyolites, dated between 0.85-0.77 Ma (Beccaluva et al., 1985). More silica-rich rocks characterise the 3 small cones, suggesting that these were formed during a second episode of volcanism, following gravitational collapse of this flank of Eolo (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). Ferromanganese crusts with Mn/Fe ratios in the range 0.041.03 were sampled at a depth of 960 m on this seamount (Morten et al., 1980). One underwater TV profile showed evidence of low-grade hydrothermal activity, including yellow, brown, and white staining of the sediment. Opaqueness in the water column was observed within the possible caldera structure (Eckhardt et al., 1997). Hydrothermal active discharge on Eolo was confirmed by δ 3He anomalies in water samples collected over the top of the volcano (Lupton et al., 2011). Hydrothermal deposits have been sampled at the SE slope of the Eolo Seamount and they were composed of pure nontronite, probably formed from Fe-oxyhydroxides. Oxygen isotopic composition of the nontronite suggests a low-temperature hydrothermal origin. Nontronite is composed of aggregates of lepispheres and tube-like filaments, which are indicative of bacteria-related precipitation (Dekov et al., 2007). A sediment core taken from the southeastern slope of the Eolo Seamount
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revealed alternating red-brown Fe-rich metalliferous sediment formed as a result of low-temperature (~ 77 °C) hydrothermal discharge. These were mainly represented by Si-rich goethite. Fe-oxyhydroxides probably precipitated immediately around the vents in depleted anoxic waters, whereas Mn stayed in solution longer and Mn-oxides deposited on the upper slope of the seamount in relatively higher oxygenated seawater (Dekov et al., 2009). Sediments drape most of the volcano edifice, suggesting a lack of recent volcanism, but small patches of bright yellow-orange bacteria colonizing some fractures in volcanic rock outcrops and a small group of living tubeworms associated to manganese-encrusted rocks are evidence that hydrothermal venting is occurring at a number of sites (Carey et al., 2012). Life on and around the Seamount No detailed information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Eolo Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
TYRRHENIAN SEA
STRUCTURE:
Etruschi Seamount
Location: 41.66705°N – 10.36715°E Peak depth (m): 310-320 Base depth (m): 990-1000
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Etruschi Seamount is an more than 50 km-long N-S elongated ridge where basaltic fragments about 0.1 Ma old have been recovered (Keller, 1981). The rocks were mostly glassy with a few small grains of olivine and acicular plagioclase crystals. They were undersaturated in silica and displayed a hawaiilic composition, similarly to analogous rocks of Sardinia. The rocks are all formed from magmas of the Oceanic Island Basalt-type (Serri et al., 2001). The Etruschi Seamount is bounded by two steep normal faults (Moeller et al., 2013) and biogenic sands and pebbles are present on its summit areas (Wezel, 1981). Plastic marl oozes, resembling the Pliocene Trubi Formation, were also recovered near the Etruschi Seamount at water depths about 900 m, they were intercalated with muddy turbidites (Wezel, 1981). The macro fauna of the biogenic concretions is mainly represented by anellids, brachiopods, bryozoans, corals, echinoids, while the micro fauna is represented by pteropodes and foraminifera. The names Jadul Ridge or Montecristo Ridge have been reported by GEBCO Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (2), likely referring to secondary elevations located on the northern extension of the Etruschi Seamount. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Etruschi Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). The Gionha Project report (Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region, ARPAT): “Acoustic and Visual Monitoring Campaign in the Tyrrhenian Sea” showed the presence of different species of dolphins and the Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) and Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) close to the Etruschi Seamount (Pavan et al., 2011). A visual sampling carried out by Ferries on the route between Civitavecchia and Golfo Aranci has identified an high density area of cetaceans in the stretch of sea between Seamounts Tiberino, Cialdi, Vercelli, and on the ridge between Etruschi and Baronie. In particular, the species Z. cavirostris has been spotted close to the Etruschi Seamount (Marini et al., 1996). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and the sperm whale (Physeter catodon) close to the Etruschi Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Etruschi Seamount has been found in scientific literature. 2) http://www.iho.int/mtg_docs/com_wg/SCUFN/SCUFN19/SCUFN19-7.2.3A_ACUF314M. pdf
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17 km
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Farfalle Seamount
Location: 40.43822°N – 12.47504°E Peak depth (m): 2450-2460 Base depth (m): 3140-3150
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Farfalla or Farfalle Seamount (Mascle et al., 1997) is a complex structure that can resemble the wings of a butterfly. It lies just west of the inferred transition from continent to oceanic crust in the eastern Tyrrhenian margin and rises for 1.4 km above the surrounding ponded turbidites. It is cut by NNE oriented faults and open fractures (Gennesseaux et al., 1986). Despite all volcanoes are highly magnetic, the Farfalla Seamount is associated with a highly negative magnetic signature (Piangiamore et al., 2006). Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Farfalla Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Farfalle Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Finale Structural High
Location: 38.30456°N – 14.15919°E Peak depth (m): 800-810 Base depth (m): 1280-1290
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Finale structural High is a submarine hill, bounded by faults, that separates the Palermo Basin to the west from the Capo d’Orlando Basin to the east, in the northern Sicilian margin. The structure can reach a minimum water depth of 850 m in its southwestern part. The Finale structural High was probably emplaced as a result of an initial stage of the northern Sicilian margin evolution, where faults controlled the subsidence and uplift of horst and graben structures (Wezel, 1981). Life on and around the Seamount Data collected from five trawl surveys carried out during spring 1999, 2000 and 2001 and autumn 2000 and 2001, showed the presence of the blackmouth dogfish (Galeus melastomus) in the Tyrrhenian basin near Sicily and Calabria, observing some specimens close to the Finale structural High (Rinnelli et al., 2005). No information about the Finale Structural High pelagic communities has been found in the scientific literature.
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Flavio Gioia Seamount
Location: 40.04247°N – 13.04610°E Peak depth (m): 2100-2110 Base depth (m): 2900-2910
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Flavio Gioia Seamount is an elongated N-S oriented about 20 km-long ridge and owns its name to the legendary Italian sailor who is told to have invented the compass. Rock dredging on the seamount recovered metamorphic Hercynian continental rocks, characterized by Alpine deformation (Dal Piaz et al., 1983) and
deformed units of Mesozoic carbonate platforms and Triassic rocks with Alpine facies (Sartori et al., 2004). The Flavio Gioia Seamount is actually the last continental block of the Campanian margin facing its conjugate Sardinian counterpart, represented by the De Marchi Seamount. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the Flavio Gioia Seamount benthic communities has been found in the scientific literature. The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) close to the Flavio Gioia Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015).
9 km
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STRUCTURE:
Giulio Cesare - Caesar Seamount Location: 38.61729°N – 11.44669°E Peak depth (m): 1150-1160 Base depth (m): 1610-1620
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Caesar Seamount is a ENE-WSW oriented topographic ridge located north of the Aceste Seamount and it is associated with gravimetric signatures probably reflecting terrain effects of the seafloor topography (De Ritis et al., 2010). It is not clear if the higher magnetization of the structure, if compared to
the surrounding areas, is related to high density volcanics or shallower crystalline intrusions (Pepe et al., 2000). According to Finetti (2005) the Caesar Seamount is made of ophiolite units that have the European vergence and underwent subsequent deformation during the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the Caesar Seamount benthic and pelagic communities has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
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Garibaldi - Glauco Seamount
Location: 39.10907°N – 13.78836°E Peak depth (m): 1770-1780 Base depth (m): 2370-2380
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Glauco Seamount is located in the middle of the southern Tyrrhenian Sea, north of the Sisifo Seamount and SW of the Marsili volcano. No age or geochemistry data are available for the rocks forming the seamount, but it has been suggested (Argnani and Savelli, 1999) that also Glauco is part of the supposed central calc-alkaline volcanic arc, active in the central Tyrrhenian Sea during the Pliocene (Kastens et al., 1988). Life on and around the Seamount No information about the Glauco Seamount benthic and pelagic communities has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Glabro Seamount
Location: 39.51302°N – 15.16295°E Peak depth (m): 850-860 Base depth (m): 1190-1200
9 km
DESCRIPTION:
Life on and around the Seamount
Geology
No information about the Glabro Seamount benthic communities has been found in the scientific literature.
The Glabro Seamount is a volcano lying at 29 km due east of the Palinuro volcano from which it is separated by a narrow moat. The volcano is dissected by a series of arcuate fault scarps into two separate parts characterised by N-S elongated, linear summit zones. Very steep internal scarps delimit the western (830 m water depth) and eastern (870 m water depth) summit areas of Glabro, separated by a 1.8-km-wide saddle lying at a water depth of 1100 m. The western portion of Glabro is larger than the eastern one. No samples are available for this seamount. Surrounding perimeter faults also characterise the adjacent seafloor of Glabro. All perimeter fault scarps are west dipping, two intersecting the seafloor to the west of the edifice and one to the east. Seismic reflection profiles show that the volcanic structure is positioned on a ~ 800 m-high basement step (Marani and Gamberi, 2004).
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The presence of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Glabro Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). A survey study on the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of large predatory sharks carried out in the Calabrian waters showed the presence of differents shark species (Prionace glauca, Hexanchus griseus, Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrhincus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Lamna nasus, Odontaspis ferox and Sphyrna lewini) in the sea area belonging to the Tyrrhenian basin that bathes the region and in particular close to the Glabro Seamount (Sperone et al., 2012).
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STRUCTURE:
Gortani Seamount
Location: 40.27171°N – 12.46722°E Peak depth (m): 3110-3120 Base depth (m): 3460-3470
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Gortani Seamount, located in the Vavilov Basin, is a NNE-SSW elongated ridge and it is formed by an almost 40 km-long volcanic edifice. It is dated 4.3 Ma (K/Ar dating) and is made of MORB-type (tholeiitic) basalts and it was drilled during Ocean Drilling Program Site 655 (Kastens et al., 1988; Serri et al., 2001). Several carbonate sediment and hydrothermal cement fill the cracks in the pillow lavas of the Gortani Seamount. Magneto-stratigraphy studies on drilling samples revealed the superposition of two magnetic polarity variations during its genesis (Cochiti and Nunivak sub-chrones; Kastens et al., 1988). Vertically elongated velocity anomalies in a recent seismic tomographic model have been interpreted as basaltic bodies with an oceanic crustal affinity that intrude the mantle and are the root of the Magnaghi, Vavilov, Gortani and D’Ancona Seamounts (Prada et al., 2014). Michele Gortani (1883-1966) was an Italian geomorphologist and politician. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Gortani Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015).
1 km
No information about the benthic communities of the Gortani Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Ichnusa Seamount
Location: 38.75063°N – 9.58249°E Peak depth (m): 190-200 Base depth (m): 960-970
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Ichnusa Seamount is a NNE-SSW oriented elongated structure, 100 km-long, made of low to high grade metamorphic Variscan or older basement rocks, intruded by late Hercynian (about 300 Ma) granitoids, comparable to the Sardinian basement (Colantoni et al., 1981) and locally covered by evaporitic limestones
(Wezel et al., 1977). It is located in the Sardinia Channel, between the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, and owes its name to the ancient Greek version of the name Sardinia. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) close to the Ichnusa Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). The presence of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Ichnusa Seamount was also checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). No information about the benthic communities of the Ichnusa Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
17 km
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Issel Seamount
Location: 39.68378°N – 13.66253°E Peak depth (m): 1910-1920 Base depth (m): 2650-2660
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Issel Seamount is a more than 40 km-long, N-S oriented ridge, lying west of the Poseidon Seamount. It is a 15 -km-thick crustal sector separating the two oceanic basins, the Vavilov Basin and the Marsili Basin and consists of metamorphic rocks. In some authors’ interpretation it may represent the continental basement (Argnani and Savelli, 1999) of the relict Pliocene Ponza-Anchise calcalkaline central volcanic arc that was active at the time (Kastens et al., 1988). Life on and around the Seamount The presence of sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Issel Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the species Stenella coeruleoalba close to the Issel Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Issel Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
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STRUCTURE:
Lametini Seamounts
Lametino 1 (LMT-1) Location: 39.05503°N – 15.39613°E Peak depth (m): 950-960 Base depth (m): 1810-1820 Lametino 2 (LMT-2) Location: 39.00910°N – 15.32143°E Peak depth (m): 1370-1380 Base depth (m): 2140-2150
LMT-1
LMT-2
9 km
DESCRIPTION:
Life on and around the Seamount
Geology
Data collected from five trawl surveys carried out during spring 1999, 2000 and 2001 and autumn 2000 and 2001, showed the presence of the shark Galeus melastomus in the Tyrrhenian basin near Sicily and Calabria, observing some specimens close to the Lametino 1 Seamount (Rinnelli et al., 2005). No other information about the benthic communities of the Lametini Seamounts has been found in the scientific literature.
The Lametini Seamounts are two twin conical edifices located 20 km south of the Alcione Seamount on the same gently sloping bench area. They are aligned in a NE-SW direction 3 km apart. The NE volcano (Lametino 1) is the larger one. Dredge samples from Lametino 1 recovered basalts (Beccaluva et al., 1985), with arc-tholeiitic affinity. Lametino 1 has a large slide scar on its western flank, which is most probably related to a mass-wasting event along a shallow-seated detachment plane (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). Fe-Mn crusts characterized by a very low Fe/Mn ratio and high Cu-content, about 100 times greater than similar deposits, were found (Rossi et al., 1980). The remaining Fe, which is normally present in the hydrothermal vent, was probably deposited in deeper areas, during sub-bottom circulation, probably in form of sulphides. The SW volcano (Lametino 2) is the smaller one, it has a diameter of 5 km at the base and displays a E-W asymmetry due to the sloping bench. Lametino 2 has its summit areas between 850 m and 650 m measured along the eastern flanks (Marani and Gamberi, 2004).
A survey study on the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of large predatory sharks carried out in the Calabrian waters showed the presence of differents shark species (Prionace glauca, Hexanchus griseus, Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrhincus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Lamna nasus, Odontaspis ferox and Sphyrna lewini) in the sea area belonging to the Tyrrhenian basin that bathes the region and in particular close to the Seamount Lametino 1 (Sperone et al., 2012).
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Lucrezio Seamount
Location: 38.97996°N – 13.25028°E Peak depth (m): 2680-2690 Base depth (m): 3310-3320
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Lucrezio Seamount is located in the central part of the southern Tyrrhenian Sea and appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986) and in the magnetic anomaly compilation by Cella et al. (1998). No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Lucrezio Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Lucrezio Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Lucrezio Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Major Seamount
Location: 39.69708°N – 11.28346°E Peak depth (m): 2060-2070 Base depth (m): 2790-2800
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Major Seamount is located along the structural alignment known as the Selli Line. The seamount appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986) and in the magnetic anomaly compilation by Cella et al. (1998), where it is mentioned as Mayor Seamount. No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Major Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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Magnaghi - Vittorio Emanuele Seamount Location: 39.90917°N – 11.77930°E Peak depth (m): 1530-1540 Base depth (m): 3140-3150
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Magnaghi Seamount is a large elliptical volcano which runs NNE–SSW for 30 km at a water depth of 2800 m and culminates at less than 2000 m water depth. Although some minor conical features are present on its top, the seamount can be classified as a giant fissural volcano (Sartori et al., 2004). The Magnaghi
Seamount has an age of 2.7-3.1 Ma (Selli et al., 1977) and its lava products show alkaline to weakly alkaline basaltic composition with an Ocean Island Basalts affinity (Serri et al., 2001). Admiral Giovan Battista Magnaghi (1839-1902) was a renowned cartographer and several ships of the Italian navy have been named after him. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Magnaghi Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
150
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STRUCTURE:
Marsili - Plinio Seamount
Location: 39.28405°N – 14.39681°E Peak depth (m): 570-580 Base depth (m): 3170-3180
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Marsili Seamount volcanic complex is a prominent NNE-SSW oriented structure located in the central part of the < 2 Ma old ocean crust-floored Marsili backarc basin. It is the largest volcanic edifice in the Tyrrhenian Sea and has an overall length of 55 km, a maximum width of 30 km, and a height of 3000 m. The Marsili volcano has a long and narrow summit area that stretches 20 km along the main axis and rises to a water depth of about 500 m. The Marsili Seamount can be ranked as the largest volcanic edifice in Europe. Along the summit area, impressive alignments of narrow, linear cone ridges, and circular-based cones can be observed. On the flanks of the Marsili volcano, cones with circular bases with diameters up to 1500 metres and heights up to 300 metres develop in lower gradient sectors, while flat topped, semicircular terraces characterise the higher gradient portions (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). The Marsili volcano has been interpreted as a super-inflated spreading ridge, formed due to robust volcanism during the last 0.7 Ma (Marani and Trua, 2002). Geochemistry of the magmas involved in the melting processes under the Marsili volcano suggest the involvement of two different mantle domains, affected by different degree of subductionrelated metasomatism (Trua et al., 2010). Gravitational instability of portions of the Marsili volcano with potentially hazardous collapses has been invoked from potential field data (Caratori Tontini et al., 2010). In a different interpretation, yet only based on bathymetry data, the Marsili formed by passive magma ascent along pre-existing fractures inherited by early spreading activity and represents a volcanic arc edifice emplaced on an older, ‘relict’ back-arc (Ventura et al., 2013). Two tephras collected on the summit of the volcano were tentatively dated at 5 ka and associate with the Marsili lava flows, suggesting that explosive eruptions occurred here in historical times, a statement which is not substantiated by further evidence (Iezzi et al., 2013). A recent geochemical study conducted on the hydrothermal Fe-oxyhydroxide precipitates (ochres) found on the Marsili Seamount summit suggested the anthropogenic origin of their Pb content and put it in relation with the beginning of Australian Pb import in Europe (Dekov et al., 2006). Count Luigi Ferdinando Marsili (1658–1730) was an Italian soldier and naturalist He was born in Bologna where he returned after the end of his military career in 1715 and there he founded the “Institute of Sciences and Arts”, one of the first examples of scientific research institution. His treatise on the oceans “Histoire physique de la mer” was published in 1725, for his pioneering works Marsili is considered the founding father of modern oceanography. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the species Stenella coeruleoalba and the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) close to the Marsili Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Marsili Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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17 km
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Marussi Seamount
Location: 40.60884°N – 10.56331°E Peak depth (m): 1040-1050 Base depth (m): 1520-1530
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Marussi Seamount is located just 30 km east of the Baronie Seamount and sometimes they are considered as a unique structure. The shape of this seamount is very peculiar and resembles a nutcracker. The seamount is a very narrow N-S oriented 80 -km-long ridge, and in the northern part, it host a 200 m-deep pool
with a 8 km-diameter at 1600 m water depth which could be possibly interpreted as a caldera or a salt-related structure. No specific geological information is available for this structure. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS show the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Marussi Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). The Gionha Project report (Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region, ARPAT): “Acoustic and Visual Monitoring Campaign in the Tyrrhenian Sea” showed the presence of different species of dolphins close to the Marussi Seamount (Pavan et al., 2011). No information about the benthic communities of the Marussi Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
17 km
152
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STRUCTURE:
Monte della Rondine Seamount
MTR Location: 40.22161°N – 11.67480°E Peak depth (m): 1950-1960 Base depth (m): 2370-2380
MTR
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Monte della Rondine Seamount is located in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea along the Selli Line and shows a flat top area around 370 m-deep, characterized by a triangular shape. The seamount appears only in the magnetic anomaly compilation by Cella et al. (1998), where it is associated with the Selli Line. It is probably composed of fragments of continental crust and magmatic effusions (Cella et al., 1998). Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Monte della Rondine Seamount has been found in the scientific literature. (See Selli Line Seamount).
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Orazio Seamount
Location: 39.33150°N – 13.41620°E Peak depth (m): 3000-3010 Base depth (m): 3330-3340
1 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Orazio Seamount appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986) and in the magnetic anomaly compilation by Cella et al. (1998). No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of the sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Orazio Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). No information about the benthic communities of the Orazio Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Ovidio Seamount
Location: 39.55649°N – 15.46812°E Peak depth (m): 240-250 Base depth (m): 370-380
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Ovidio Seamount appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986) and it is very difficult to actually locate it in the eastern margin of the Tyrrhenian Sea. No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount A survey study on the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of large predatory sharks carried out in the Calabrian waters showed the presence of differents shark species (Prionace glauca, Hexanchus griseus, Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrhincus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Lamna nasus, Odontaspis ferox and Sphyrna lewini) in the sea area belonging to the Tyrrhenian basin that bathes the region and in particular close to the Ovidio Seamount (Sperone et al., 2012). No information about the benthic communities of the Ovidio Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
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Palinuro - Strabo Seamount
Location: 39.48455°N – 14.82892°E Peak depth (m): 70-80 Base depth (m): 1570-1580
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Palinuro Seamount is a volcanic complex and consists of an array of volcanic edifices lying along an E-W fault system. At least eight single volcanic edifices can be recognised along the volcanic complex, their bases coalescing to form a near continuous volcanic ridge. The volcanic complex stretches for almost 50 km with a maximum width of 15 km at its base and rises to a minimum depth in its central part with two flat top volcanoes reaching 175 m and 84 m water depths (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). The 84-m peak is built on a small plateau 2 km in diameter, which is believed to be a marine terrace formed as a result of erosion during the last glacial lowering of sea level (Passaro et al., 2011). Palinuro is made up of basalts and basaltic andesites dated 0.8-0.35 Ma (Beccaluva et al., 1985). To the west of the two shallower peaks, clusters of small cones surround a depressed area bordered by an arcuate northwestern ridge and smooth slope. This morphology could be related to a caldera-forming gravitational collapse event of a pre-existing volcanic edifice, followed by the creation of resurgent domes. To the east, a series of smaller cones develop, mostly exhibiting horseshoe morphology and cratered summits (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). Massive sulfide deposits and hydrothermal Fe oxyhydroxide and manganese deposits, which have
a potential commercial value for their metal content, were already sampled on Palinuro respectively at a depth of 631 m in the early ‘80s (Tufar, 1991) and as micronodules in the summit areas in the early ‘70s. Subsequent samplings recovered fragments of sulfide chimneys at a depth of 400-600 m occurring within craters and displaying Cu enrichments (Minniti and Bonavia, 1984). The compositional data showed associations of Fe-Cu linked with the sulfides and of MnNi-Co linked with the manganese crusts and micronodules. In more recent years low-temperature hydrothermal venting was observed in the western summit of the volcanic complex at about 650 m water depth. Living siboglinid tube worm colonies were discovered and warm (60°C) native sulphur cemented sediments were recovered (Petersen et al., 2008). Although a magmatic SO2 contribution to the formation of the massive sulfides is likely, the activity of different sulphurrelated bacteria plays a role in their deposition, especially during late stage of ore formation (Peters et al., 2011). Further studies on the drilled sediment showed that only the shallower mineralized zone, comprised of a barite-sulphide facies, is enriched in metals, while the deeper portion is dominated by massive pyrite (Petersen et al., 2014). Isotopic signature and abundance of native sulphur may suggest that the source area for the mineralizing fluids is a degassing magma chamber at depth (Petersen et al., 2014). Hydrothermal active discharge was confirmed by δ 3He anomalies in water samples collected over the top of the volcano (Lupton et al., 2011). Also on Palinuro’s eastern end, evidence of low temperature hydrothermal venting from spires up to 30 cm in height have been observed (Carey et al., 2012). Areas of hydrothermally altered rocks at the seafloor have been tentatively mapped using geophysical methods, such as magnetic data (Ligi et al., 2014).
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Life on and around the Seamount Only two ROV surveys are known for this peak. The first reported large areas of lithified and black-stained deep-water coral carbonate ledges interrupted by pelagic sediment drapes and fields of active hydrothermal crusts (Freiwald et al., 2011). This activity was indicated by fissure fills of soft yellow sulphur and small black chimneys emanating hydrothermal water. No conspicuous hydrothermal metazoan fauna was detected. The only live colonial coral found was the yellow scleractian Dendrophyllia cornigera. Another survey conducted on the shallower peak of the Palinuro Seamount, between 80 and 260 m depth, revealed the presence of interesting biocoenoses, in particular a shallow coralligenous assemblage (80-90 m) dominated by green and coralline algae and the crinoid Antedon mediterranea (Bo, pers. observ.). Numerous invertebrates were observed in this area, as the sponges Axinella spp., a dense population of Eunicella cavolinii, ceriantharians, hydroids, Sabella pavonina, Protula sp., Palinurus elephas, numerous Diazona violacea, Holothuria sp., Echinus melo, and various associated fish as Anthias anthias, Thorogobius ephippiatus, Serranus cabrilla, Aulopus filamentosus and Lappanella fasciata. The rocky flanks between 100 and 260 m depth are characterized by various rocky elevations alternated with detritic slopes (Bo, pers. observ.). Here, the algal coverage progressively diminishes while the abundance of sponges (Axinella spp., Aplysina cavernicola, Pachastrella monilifera, Poecillastra compressa) in-
creases. Various colonies of D. cornigera, Eunicella cavolinii, Acanthogorgia hirsuta, Corallium rubrum and Bebryce mollis were observed on the rocks together with a peculiar alcyonacean aggregation on the detritic slope. Only D. cornigera and black coral assemblages (Leiopathes glaberrima and Parantipathes larix) were observed in the deepest explored range (Bo, pers. observ.).
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A high β-diversity of meiofauna was reported in the soft sediments around the Palinuro Seamount and was correlated to a diversification of the benthic food webs, suggesting that the presence of seamounts enhances the biodiversity in neighboring sediments (Pusceddu et al., 2009). A high fishing impact was reported for this area, with dozens of lost long-lines found near the crest of the Seamount and numerous trawled and smashed colonies of D. cornigera (Freiwald et al., 2011). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Palinuro Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). A survey study on the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution of large predatory sharks carried out in the Calabrian waters showed the presence of different shark species (Prionace glauca, Hexanchus griseus, Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrhincus, Carcharhinus brevipinna, Lamna nasus, Odontaspis ferox and Sphyrna lewini) in the sea area belonging to the Tyrrhenian basin that bathes the region and in particular close to the Palinuro Seamount (Sperone et al., 2012).
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Pompeo Seamount
Location: 38.59667°N – 11.80853°E Peak depth (m): 1040-1050 Base depth (m): 1300-1310
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Pompeo Seamount is located west of the Caesar Seamount and it was interpreted as a reverse fault southward dipping and delimiting the volcanic block (Finetti and Del Ben, 1986). It is also associated with a positive magnetic signal (Cella et al., 1998). Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the swordfish (Xiphias gladius) close to the Pompeo Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Pompeo Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
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STRUCTURE:
Poseidon Seamount
Location: 39.72609°N – 13.83795°E Peak depth (m): 1640-1650 Base depth (m): 2140-2150
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Poseidon Seamount is a complex structure, lying east of the Issel Seamount, it consists of metamorphic rocks and in some authors’ interpretation may represent the continental basement (Argnani and Savelli, 1999) of the supposed Pliocene Ponza–Anchise central volcanic arc (Kastens et al., 1988). Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and the pelagic fish (mainly Scombridae) close to the Poseidon Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). The presence of the sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Poseidon Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). No information about the benthic communities of the Poseidon Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Prometeo Seamount
Location: 38.62567°N – 13.46877°E Peak depth (m): 1830-1840 Base depth (m): 2140-2150
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Prometeo Seamount is a 20 m-long NE-SW oriented ridge that is associated with a recently discovered submarine Oceanic Island Basalts-type lava field (the Prometeo lava field) (Trua et al., 2003). Both the Prometeo and Ustica lavas display a Na-alkaline affinity (Beccaluva et al., 1985). They are close to and yet outside the western portion of the Aeolian Arc and define a NW trend of Oceanic Island Basalts-type volcanism that also includes Mount Etna. The mechanism that has been invoked for explaining this volcanic alignment defined by Ustica, Prometeo and Etna is the presence of a north-north-westward asthenospheric African mantle flow below the Sicilian Maghrebide orogenic roots (Trua et al., 2003). Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Prometeo Seamount has been found in the scientific literature. .
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STRUCTURE:
Quirra Seamount
Location: 39.31691°N – 10.32088°E Peak depth (m): 890-900 Base depth (m): 1590-1600
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Quirra Seamount is a large, 37 km-long, N-S-oriented volcano, that lies parallel to the eastern Sardinian margin in theoretical southern continuation with the Baronie Seamount. The Quirra is made of magmas of the Oceanic Island Basalttype (Serri et al., 2001) and formed ~ 3 Ma (Sartori, 2005). The Quirra probably lies along a curved regional master fault where mafic magmas upwelled; this is consistent with the N-S orientation and positive polarities of the magnetic and gravity anomalies registered in the area (De Ritis et al., 2010). Plastic marl oozes, resembling the Pliocene Trubi Formation, were also recovered on the Quirra Ridge located further north of the seamount on the same N-S axis, at water depths between 1500 and 2000 m, they were intercalated with muddy turbidites (Wezel, 1981). The name comes from a historical region in the inland Sardinia, which was a Spanish territory in the XIV through the XVII century. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) close to the Quirra Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). The Gionha Project report (Environmental Protection Agency of Tuscany Region, ARPAT): “Acoustic and Visual Monitoring Campaign in the Tyrrhenian Sea” showed the presence of different species of dolphins and the sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Quirra Seamount (Pavan et al., 2011). No information about the benthic communities of the Quirra Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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AT L A S O F T H E M E D I T E R R A N E A N S E A M O U N T S A N D S E A M O U N T– L I K E S T R U C T U R E S
STRUCTURE:
Sallustio Seamount
Location: 39.75541°N – 10.91508°E Peak depth (m): 2410-2420 Base depth (m): 2730-2740
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Sallustio Seamount appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986) and in the magnetic anomaly compilation by Cella et al. (1998). Its location is very uncertain but appears to be a small neglectable ridge between the Cornaglia and Major Seamounts. No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Sallustio Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
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STRUCTURE:
San Vito Ridge
Location: 38.32516°N – 12.85033°E Peak depth (m): 580-590 Base depth (m): 720-730
18 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The San Vito Ridge is a ENE-WSW oriented structural ridge which confines to the west the San Vito Canyon, which is characterized by a sinuous structure and very steep walls (14-25°). The San Vito Ridge is the marine prolongation of the San Vito Lo Capo promontory. This is a sediment-starved structure, very thin or no PlioQuaternary sediments are present here (Wezel, 1981). Life on and around the Seamount The rich benthonic communities of the San Vito Ridge have been recently revealed by a ROV survey (Aguilar et al., 2013). Numerous vulnerable rocky bottom ecosystems have been observed, such as cold water coral reefs (Desmophyllum dianthus, Stenocyathus vermiformis, Caryophyllia spp., Pourtalosmilia anthophyllites, Javania caileti, Anomocora fecunda, Dendrophyllia spp.) and black coral forests (Leiopathes glaberrima, Antipathes dichotoma, Antipathella subpinnata, Parantipathes larix). Numerous colonies of Acanthogorgia hirsuta and some specimens of Corallium rubrum were observed between 70 and 130 m depth (Bo, pers. observ.) Data collected from five trawl surveys carried out during spring 1999, 2000 and 2001 and autumn 2000 and 2001, show the presence of the blackmouth dogfish Galeus melastomus in the Tyrrhenian basin near Sicily and Calabria, observing some specimens close to the San Vito Ridge (Rinnelli et al., 2005). No information about the pelagic communities of the San Vito Ridge has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Sardinia Seamount
Location: 40.02648°N – 10.13769°E Peak depth (m): 1190-1200 Base depth (m): 1460-1470
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Sardinia Seamount appears both in the ACUF (US Advisory Committee on Undersea Features) Gazetteer and the IOC-IHO GEBCO SCUFN (SubCommittee on Undersea Feature Names) Gazetteer. Although this structure has an official name, no geological information about a so-called Sardinia Seamount is available in the scientific literature. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Sardinia Seamount was confirmed during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996; Pavan et al., 2011). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of different species of pelagic fish, mainly Scombridae and swordfish (Xiphias gladius), close to the Sardinia Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Sardinia Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
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STRUCTURE:
Scuso Seamount
Location: 38.26734°N – 12.55012°E Peak depth (m): 87 Base depth (m): 290-300
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Scuso Seamount is not a proper seamount but a shallow bank lying on the northwestern Sicilian continental shelf, located 25 km to the west of the San Vito Ridge, only 15 km from the coast of San Vito Lo Capo promontory. The Scuso bank reaches a minimum water depth of 87 m. Life on and around the Seamount The megabenthic community of the top of this bank has been recently explored by ROV (Bo, pers. observ.). The rocky hardgrounds of this elevation host a dense population of the black coral Antipathella subpinnata as well as sparse colonies of Acanthogorgia hirsuta and Corallium rubrum. Some encrusting sponges, hydroids, the parasitic alcyonacean Alcyonium coralloides, the solitary scleractinian Caryophyllia cyathus and various holothurians have been observed. The fish assemblage includes Scorphaena sp., Anthias anthias and Zeus faber. The area is severely impacted by lost fishing gears (trammel nets and long lines) some of which are evidently entangled on the black coral colonies. No information about the pelagic communities of the Scuso Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Secchi - Adriano Seamount
Location: 40.44694°N – 11.70386°E Peak depth (m): 1220-1230 Base depth (m): 2420-2430
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Secchi Seamount is located at the same latitude of the Farfalla Seamount in the southern part of the northern Tyrrhenian Sea, and is represented by a NNESSE oriented, 20 km-long mountain. The seamount is comprised of low grade metamorphic rocks, mainly phillites of uncertain palegeographic position (Finetti and Del Ben, 1986). The seamount was given its name after Priest Pietro Angelo Secchi (1818-1878), gesuit, astronomer and geodesist. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the species Stenella coeruleoalba close to the Secchi Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Secchi Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Sele Seamount
Location: 40.29675°N – 14.20890°E Peak depth (m): 240-250 Base depth (m): 720-730
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Sele Seamount is depicted only in the first bathymetric maps of the Tyrrhenian Sea sketched after the first seismic explorations started in the early 60’s (Savelli and Wezel, 1980). It is located 15 km south of the Capri Island and reaches 300 m water depth. No specific studies are reported to date about this seamount. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Sele Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). No information about the benthic communities of the Sele Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Selli Line (Seamount)
SLL Location: 40.23431°N – 11.76898°E Peak depth (m): 1980-1990 Base depth (m): 2370-2380
SLL
2 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Selli Line or Ridge is a fault system running NE–SW, which is formed by a sequence of normal faults dipping SE with different dimensions and orientations. This fault system produces a crustal displacement with a bathymetric step ranging from 1000 to 1500 m (to the west) to approximately 3000–3200 m (to the east). The fault system is also dissected by strike-slips running E–W (Bigi et al., 1990). This line is a deep crustal boundary separating the Sardinian passive margin from the eastern oceanic domain and this appears to be confirmed by magnetic data (Cocchi et al., 2009), but no age constraints are available. The Selli fault system dislocates large Messinian syn-rift sedimentary deposits and, in the lower crust portion, it is closely connected with sub-horizontal reflectors that can be interpreted as the Moho discontinuity (Sartori et al., 2004). Tethyan ophiolites and Tertiary syn-orogenic carbonate-terrigenous sequences occur along the Selli Line. This tectonic lineament was named after Raimondo Selli, the founder of the former Istituto di Geologia Marina of Bologna that then merged into the Italian National Research Council with the name of Institute of Marine Sciences. Raimondo Selli was among those pioneer scientists who launched marine geology studies in the Italian seas. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Selli Line has been found in the scientific literature. (See Monte della Rondine Seamount).
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STRUCTURE:
Sirene Seamount
Location: 40.25926°N – 13.92116°E Peak depth (m): 660-670 Base depth (m): 1050-1060
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Sirene (Mermaids) Seamount is a NW-SE oriented narrow ridge which is 6 km-width at its base and only 2 km in its summit area at 700 m water depth, just west of the Sele Seamount. The Sirene Seamount is associated with a negative aeromagnetic anomaly, like the Secchi and Issel Seamounts (Piangiamore et al., 2006). Although not clear, this anomaly can be interpreted as due to intense tectonic deformation of the area, probably as a result of complex combination of thrusting and perpendicular transtensive effects of the Campanian margin, with high heat flow values and crustal thinning. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of the sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Sirene Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Sirene Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Sirene Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Sisifo Seamount
Location: 38.78828°N – 13.85064°E Peak depth (m): 1080-1090 Base depth (m): 2010-2020
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Sisifo Seamount is the oldest volcano of the Aeolian Arc and lies upon a WNW-ESE directed, 40 km-long ridge, connected with the Enarete volcano. Basalts and trachytes, dredged on the Sisifo Seamount, and belonging to calcalkaline and high K 2O calcalkaline series, are dated 1.3-0.9 Ma (Beccaluva et al., 1985). ENE-WSW-oriented faults are present in the southern and western flanks of the volcanic edifice, while the northern flank is dissected by erosional features, probably connected with sedimentary processes (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). At the southeastern margin of the Sisifo ridge, a 1000 m-high conical volcano is present. Hydrothermal activity was investigated by collecting water samples over the top of the Sisifo Seamount, where δ 3He anomalies confirmed that a low degree of hydrothermal discharge may be present (Lupton et al., 2011). Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and the swordfish (Xiphias gladius) close to the Sisifo Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Sisifo Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
170
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STRUCTURE:
Solunto Structural High
Location: 38.41578°N – 13.74908°E Peak depth (m): 700-710 Base depth (m): 1320-1330
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Solunto High is a structural topographic relief located in the Cefalù basin, in the northern Sicily margin, its shallowest summit area reaches 700 m water depth. The Solunto High is located between two stretching zones, but it remained unaffected by the extensional tectonics during the rifting of the margin and underwent limited subsidence and, possibly, relative uplift. It always remained a relatively elevated area and eventually emerged above sea level. For this reason, sediments above Solunto are very thin, Messinian sediments are only 80-100 m-thick and the lower Pliocene is < 100 m in thickness (Pepe et al., 2000). Life on and around the Seamount Data collected from five trawl surveys carried out during spring 1999, 2000 and 2001 and autumn 2000 and 2001, showed the presence of the dogfish Galeus melastomus in the Tyrrhenian basin near Sicily and Calabria, observing some specimens close to the Solunto High (Rinnelli et al., 2005). No information about the pelagic communities of the Solunto High has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Tacito Seamount
Location: 40.18627°N – 13.56701°E Peak depth (m): 1150-1160 Base depth (m): 1520-1530
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Tacito Seamount appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986). No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Tacito Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Tiberino Seamount
Location: 41.66814°N – 11.54940°E Peak depth (m): 290-300 Base depth (m): 770-780
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Tiberino Seamount is located in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea and shows a flat top area around 370 m-deep, characterized by a triangular shape. It is composed of fragments of continental crust and magmatic effusions (Cella et al., 1998). Life on and around the Seamount The presence of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Tiberino Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). A visual sampling carried out by Ferry ships on the route between Civitavecchia and Golfo Aranci has identified a high density area of cetaceans in the stretch of sea between Tiberino, Cialdi, Vercelli Seamounts and on the ridge between Etruschi and Baronie. In particular, the Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) and sperm whales (Physeter catodon) have been spotted close to the Tiberino Seamount (Marini et al., 1996). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the species Stenella coeruleoalba, Z. cavirostris and the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) close to the Tiberino Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Tiberino Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Tibullo Seamount
Location: 39.76375°N – 12.83646°E Peak depth (m): 3070-3080 Base depth (m): 3540-3550
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Tibullo Seamount appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986). It is a NNE-SSW oriented 30 km-long ridge located SE of the Vavilov Seamount. The structure is most probably a fault ridge. No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Tibullo Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
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STRUCTURE:
Tito Livio Seamount
Location: 39.35462°N – 10.91430°E Peak depth (m): 2270-2280 Base depth (m): 2660-2670
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Tito Livio Seamount appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986). It is located along the southern theoretical prolongation of the Selli Line. It appears to be a NNW-SSE oriented 30 km-long ridge, probably related to fault structures. No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount No information about the benthic and pelagic communities of the Tito Livio Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Traiano Seamount
Location: 38.98816°N – 12.22970°E Peak depth (m): 1920-1930 Base depth (m): 2290-2300
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Traiano Seamount is located together with the Augusto Seamount in the lower slope of the northern Sicilian margin, arises from 2800 m maximum water depth to a minimum of 1950 m and is composed of fragments of continental crust and magmatic effusions (Cella et al., 1998). Life on and around the Seamount The presence of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Seamount Traiano was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). No information about the benthic communities of the Traiano Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Vavilov Seamount
Location: 39.85498°N – 12.61264°E Peak depth (m): 820-830 Base depth (m): 3150-3160
17 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Vavilov Seamount is a volcano with a length of ~ 30 km, elongated in a N-S direction with a maximum width of ~ 14 km. It rises from the flat 3600 m-deep basin floor to a minimum water depth of about 800 m. The Vavilov is a mature volcano and its formation is supposed to have occurred during the oceanization of the Vavilov basin about 3 Ma (Kastens et al., 1988). The summit area, however, seems to have been subsequently active 0.4 to 0.1 Ma. The basalts fall into the mildly alkaline series and are strongly enriched in light REE, very close to Oceanic Island Basalts (Robin et al., 1987). The overall morphology of the Vavilov volcano is dominated by the strong asymmetry between its irregular gently dipping eastern flank and its smooth steeply dipping western flank. An arcuate scar bounds the high gradient western flank, and it is likely that this portion of the volcano has been affected either by flank collapses or by faulting that has resulted in the removal of a large volume of the pre-existing edifice (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). The summit of the volcano is composed of a relatively low gradient area occupied by two large 250 m-high, circular cones and a number of smaller edifices. Both the southern and northern flanks of the volcano are traversed by 100 to 150 m-high ridges, some characterised by the development of small cones. In the northern
flank, steep transverse scarps give rise to terrace-like morphologies (Marani and Gamberi, 2004). Dredging from the volcano recovered various types of carbonate hardgrounds and nodules, lavas, biogenic sands (Gamberi et al., 2006). A detailed hydrographic investigation conducted in the central Tyrrhenian Sea revealed that the persistence of anticyclonic eddies was related, jointly with the weak mean current, to the presence of the Vavilov Seamount highlighting the importance of this isolated topography in influencing the interior Tyrrhenian circulation (Budillon et al., 2009). Nikolaj Ivanovich Vavilov (1887-1943) was a prominent Russian Soviet botanist and geneticist, but the name of the seamount is actually due to the Russian research ship Akademik Vavilov, that sailed her first cruise in the Tyrrhenian Sea in 1959 and allowed the scientific party to identify the volcano in the bathymetry. Life on and around the Seamount The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and the loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) close to the Vavilov Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Vavilov Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Vercelli Seamount
Location: 41.10792°N – 10.90581°E Peak depth (m): 60-70 Base depth (m): 1000-1010
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Vercelli Seamount is the most important structure of a complex SW-NE oriented system of ridges arising from a bottom of about 2000 m in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea. It consists of a granite intrusion episode dated back to 7.2 Ma (Barberi et al., 1978, 1989; Zhuleva, 1988). The Vercelli Seamount owns 20° steep walls (Gallignani, 1973; Zhuleva, 1988). At around 200-250 m water depth, flat terraces, formed during the last episode of low stand of the sea level, are present and are buried below organogenic coarse and medium sand. The walls then start again to be gently sloping (1°-3°) up to about 100 m water depth, where an elongated pinnacle reaches 60 m water depth (Zhuleva, 1988). The pinnacle has an asymmetric shape, with a steeper SW flank (17°) with respect to the NE one (11°) (Gallignani, 1973). The hydrothermal activity of the seamount is responsible for the iron-manganese crusts (up to 2 cm thick) found on the deep granites (Zhuleva, 1988). The mesoscale oceanography of the Tyrrhenian Sea is characterized by a major cyclonic circulation along its boundary, while in the interior several gyre structures can be observed. The Vercelli Seamount is located within a transitional area between two gyres: cyclonic in the north and anticyclonic in the south (Artale et al., 1994). These gyres are usually considered wind-driven (Nair et al., 1994), but recent investigations have revealed the relevant role played by topography (Budillon et al., 2009; Vetrano et al., 2010). The northern gyre allows the inflow of north-western waters, partially coming from the Algerian-Provencal sub-basin. It is characterized by seasonal variability although it is recognizable all year round. It generates vertical mixing of surface and intermediate waters, leading to a general increase in inorganic nutrient concentrations and the stimulation of primary production in the euphotic zone (Morel and André, 1991; Nair et al., 1994). The southern zone, instead, seems to be mainly characterized by horizontal water movements, generating a convergence zone and leading to strict oligotrophic conditions (Povero et al., 1990; Astraldi and Gasparini, 1994).
17 km
Due to its morphology and its position with respect to the main hydrological structures, the Vercelli Seamount exerts its influence on a number of environmental features, although a clear “seamount effect” was not found, due to the complex hydrodynamic features of the area (Misic et al., 2012). In particular, at the seamount summit, an accumulation of autotrophic biomass and semi-labile organic matter was found, together with a fast turnover of labile organic matter. The heterogeneity of the habitat, the shallowness of the Seamount’s peak, the higher trophic supply and the availability of the organic matter support a very rich mega and macrofaunal community (Bo et al., 2011; Covazzi Harriague et al., in press). Fluxes of organic matter were observed downstream (NW side), in the surfacesubsurface layer as well as with depth along the seamount flank, thus extending the effect of the seamount for at least 25 km far from the summit (Misic et al., 2012). Changes of the organic matter availability to consumption were observed, especially with depth due to the mixing with sedimentary materials, moreover, the organic matter turnover features suggested also an upstream flux around the seamount (Misic et al., 2012). Also temperature and salinity distributions suggest a divergence region in the North and a convergence region in the South of the Seamount. These characteristics are confirmed by the corresponding dissolved oxygen and nutrient distributions (MEDATLAS, 2002).
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Life on and around the Seamount The Vercelli Seamount, an isolated rocky peak penetrating the euphotic zone, plays an important aggregating role, hosting rich coralligenous megabenthic communities as revealed by Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) surveys (Bo et al., 2011). The shallowest part of the pinnacle hosts a dense canopy of the kelp Laminaria rodriguezii. The southern side biocoenosis is mainly dominated by the octocorals Paramuricea clavata and Eunicella cavolinii, while the northern side is colonized by active filter-feeding organisms such as sponges with numerous colonies of the ascidian Diazona violacea, and the polychaete Sabella pavonina (Bo et al., 2011). The observed differences between the communities recorded on the two flanks of the pinnacle, both in term of composition and trophic strategy, were put in relation to local current conditions (Bo et al., 2011) and were successively found in accordance with the trophic data (Misic et al., 2012; Covazzi Harriague et al., 2014). The upwelling hydrodynamic regime suggested for the southern flank explains the greater abundance of passive filter-feeders such as octocorals with respect to the northern flank. On the other hand, the downwelling regime of organic matter on the northern flank and a higher sedimentation level, possibly favoured by a lower inclination of the slope, explain the dominance of active suspension feeders (Bo et al., 2011). The ROV data obtained in the deepest depth range (100-500 m depth) revealed the presence of other interesting deep biocoenoses: on the wide detritic plane surrounding the peak, a continuous belt of the crinoid Leptometra phalangium (with densities of up to 43 specimens m-2) was observed down to 140-150 m depth (Bo et al., 2010). This suspension feeders biocoenosis is clearly supported by the organic material sinking from the euphotic coralligenous community. At 150 m water depth the crinoid facies abruptly stops and is substituted by a detritus-feeding assemblage, mainly composed by cidarid sea urchins. On the edge of the detritic bottom (around 180-200 m depth) a wide belt of dead Dendrophyllia cornigera was recorded, with sparse living colonies. The dead calyxes of this species were frequently covered by the blue sponge Hamacantha (Vomerula) falcula. From 200 to 500 m depth, the rocks, covered by a thick black crust of iron-manganese oxide, are characterised by a very poor megabenthic biocoenosis, mainly composed by tubes of serpulids and rare encrusting sponges. A clear decline in the standing crop of the biocoenoses was observed (Bo, pers. observ.). The Vercelli Seamount represents a good model for the benthic zonation of Mediterranean seamounts with summit penetrating in the euphotic zone. The Vercelli Seamount is not heavily exploited by professional fishing. Nevertheless, some abandoned nets and lines were observed along the ROV track (Bo et al., 2011). Environments characterized by high biodiversity should be worthy of protection by international conservation programs as already suggested for others deep diversity oases of the Mediterranean Sea.
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The presence of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Vercelli Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996), as well as striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) according to the results of the “Acoustic and Visual Monitoring Campaign in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Gionha Project” (Pavan et al., 2011). A group of 10 sperm whales (Physeter catodon) was observed on the top of the Vercelli Seamounts’ pinnacle during the ROV operations (Bo, pers. comm., 2009) . A visual sampling carried out by Ferry ships on the route between Civitavecchia and Golfo Aranci has identified a high density area of cetaceans in the stretch of sea between Tiberino, Cialdi, Vercelli Seamounts and on the ridge between Etruschi and Baronie. In particular, the Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphiius cavirostris) has been spotted close to the Vercelli Seamount (Marini et al., 1996). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS show the presence of the striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) close to the Vercelli Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015).
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STRUCTURE:
Vespasiano Seamount
Location: 38.79367°N – 12.76689°E Peak depth (m): 1530-1540 Base depth (m): 1850-1860
9 km
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Vespasiano Seamount is a peculiar E-W oriented ridge, located just some 4 km north of the Ustica Ridge. It appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986). No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of sperm whales (Physeter catodon) close to the Vespasiano Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). The preliminary results of field research conducted in the Tyrrhenian Sea during the months of July and August 2013 in the scope of the project PROMETEOS showed the presence of the striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) close to the Vespasiano Seamount (Fiori et al., 2015). No information about the benthic communities of the Vespasiano Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
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STRUCTURE:
Virgilio Seamount
Location: 39.30674°N – 12.51836°E Peak depth (m): 2650-2660 Base depth (m): 3040-3050
DESCRIPTION: Geology The Virgilio Seamount is a peculiar arcuate shape NE-SW oriented ridge, located to the north of the Augusto Seamount. It appears only on early maps compiled by Finetti and Del Ben (1986), together with the Catullo, Orazio and Virgilio Seamounts in the central part of the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. No other geological or geophysical information is available and this name must be considered unofficial. Life on and around the Seamount The presence of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) close to the Virgilio Seamount was checked during a visual and acoustic sampling carried out by the Italian Navy in 1995 (Nascetti and Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1996). No information about the benthic communities of the Virgilio Seamount has been found in the scientific literature.
9 km
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