Fig. 3
From: Growth and skeletal structure of the parasitic zoantharian Savalia savaglia (Bertoloni, 1819)
(a,b) The two large dead specimens C1 and C2 of Savalia savaglia collected at Tavolara – Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area, characterized by several anastomosed branches (white arrows); (c) cross-section of a large branch where the presence of the gorgonian host is visible in the core (white arrows) and (d) apical portion where the gorgonian skeleton is absent. (e) Anastomoses of S. savaglia branches documented in Ginanni’s Opera56. (f) Cross-section of two anastomosed branches showing merged skeletons (red dotted lines). (g) Cross-section of C2 base, highlighting the presence of 13 gorgonian basal plates and stems (white dotted circles) enveloped by S. savaglia at different moments (green, yellow and red dotted lines, progressively). (h) Basal plates from merging close colonies produce large specimens; (i) the colonization of the zoanthid starting from the apical portion of a damaged Paramuricea clavata and reaching another close gorgonian. Scale bars: a-b: 5 cm; c: 3 cm; d:1 cm; f: 500 μm; g: 1 cm; h: 15 cm; i: 1 cm.
