Fig. 1
From: Growth and skeletal structure of the parasitic zoantharian Savalia savaglia (Bertoloni, 1819)
Examples of the overgrowth and successive growth of several specimens of Paramuricea clavata by Savalia savaglia after different periods. (a–d) A grafted portion of the zoanthid completely covered the gorgonian of Scilla after four years (1999–2002) (photo credits: Francesco Turano); (e, f) a specimen recorded at the Portofino Promontory quickly colonised a large portion of the sea fan in six years (2016–2022) (photo credits: Alessandro Grasso); (g–l) annual record of S. savaglia overgrowth at the Costacuti Shoal from 2018 to 2023 (photo credits: Alessandro Diotallevi); (m–p) a new-settled colony on a damaged P. clavata monitored four time between 2022 and 2024 at Tavolara – Punta Coda Cavallo MPA; (q–s) a colony monitored thrice between 1996 and 2023 at Mortoriotto site, showing the growth after the complete covering of the gorgonian skeleton (s, new apical portions are indicated in pink, while gorgonian branches covered by the zoanthid are indicated in yellow) (photo credits: Eleonora de Sabata). Scale bars: 5 cm.
