The Cladocora caespitosa, or Mediterranean pillow coral, is a species of coral endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, the only one in this area capable of forming coral reefs, similar to those found in tropical seas.
A Mediterranean pillow coral colony located at Cap de Creus.
Location of populations of Mediterranean pillow coral during the SUBMON survey at Cap de Creus.
The biology of the Mediterranean pillow coral itself makes it particularly sensitive to multiple impacts, many of them directly or indirectly related to human activity. Being a sessile species (living attached to a firm structure) with great longevity and slow growth, it is highly vulnerable to impacts such as the effects of climate change, the presence of invasive species, or pollution, all of which pose a threat to its survival.
Climate change, the main threat to Mediterranean corals
Bleaching of a Mediterranean pillow coral colony.
One of the effects that can be easily observed, caused by this increase in sea temperatures, is the bleaching of Mediterranean pillow coral colonies, similar to what happens with tropical corals. This bleaching occurs because, due to thermal stress, the pillow coral colony drives out symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae), which coexist in its reefs, exposing its calcium carbonate skeleton.
Obtaining more data on Cladocora caespitosa and its distribution is crucial to understanding its environmental status, an essential step in implementing the most appropriate conservation actions to preserve this jewel of the Mediterranean.
