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ROV imagery is leading to the discovery of diverse deep-sea habitat types in the Malta Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) at depths of 200 to 1000 meters. These include rocky bottoms with mixed assemblages dominated by cold-water corals and gorgonians, as well as sponges with both encrusting and erect growth habits. Vast expanses of different types of soft-bottom habitats are also present, mostly dominated by Anthozoa, Foraminifera and/or burrowing infauna. New habitat categories will need to be added to the existing habitat classification schemes for the deep Mediterranean Sea, including those of the European Nature Information System (EUNIS), and the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA), to accommodate some of these discoveries., peer-reviewed

The bryozoan Amathia (= Zoobotryon) verticillata was found near the northern entrance to the Port of Kaohsiung in November 2015 and is the first record from Taiwan. This bryozoan can form extensive colonies and is considered to be one of the more invasive nonindigenous species, occurring worldwide from Mediterranean to tropical environments within the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Oceans. Colonies extending to approximately 80 cm in length were on immersed ropes attached to quay walls. It is likely that the species is established in the Port of Kaohsiung. Its distribution within the Pacific is reviewed.

The warm water marine bryozoan Amathia (= Zoobotryon) verticillata (delle Chiaje, 1822) is reported for the first time in the Galápagos Islands based upon collections in 2015. Elsewhere, this species is a major fouling organism that can have significant negative ecological and economic effects. Comprehensive studies will be necessary to determine the extent of the distribution of A. verticillata in the Galápagos and its effects on native species. The establishment of A. verticillata emphasizes the need for regular monitoring of those vectors that could bring additional non-native species to the Archipelago.

The taxonomy of Okenia zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910) has been extremely problematic, affected by vague original description, complementary descriptions with confusing information, and re-descriptions of species using material collected across a wide geographic range without reference to type material. A recent study based on morphological and molecular data showed that specimens initially identified as O. zoobotryon from Australia belonged to a recently described species, Okenia harastii Pola, Roldan and Padilla, 2014. The collection of several specimens from the type locality, Bermuda, facilitated a complete re-description of O. zoobotryon, with color photographs of the living animal and scanning electron microscopy pictures. In order to preserve the current use of the name Okenia zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910), a neotype is proposed for this species.

A study at the Penrice Soda Products Saltfields revealed that a “weed” blocking siphons in the lower salinity end of the fields was a bryozoan,Zoobotryon verticillatum (della Chiaje). Further observations showed that this bryozoan grows from early October to mid June, dying off for 3 months during winter, and that it was commonly found in salinities of up to 56 grams per litre.

A rapid assessment, using the abundance and distribution range method, was used to evaluate the status of a large branching bryozoan, Zoobotryon verticillatum attached to the immersed part of marina pontoons in the Canary Islands. Colonies were also found attached to the hulls of leisure craft berthed alongside pontoons at three marinas in Lanzarote during 2012. Low levels of abundance and distribution of the bryozoan occurred in marinas with a freshwater influence whereas in a sheltered marina lacking direct freshwater inputs colonies occurred at ∼2 per metre of combined pontoon length. While the occurrence of this bryozoan is recent it may be expected to occur elsewhere in Macaronesia most probably spread by leisure craft.

The laboratory culture of the barnacle, Balanus amphitrite has made it possible to supply cypris larvae for antifouling assays all year round. The settlement of cyprids obtained from cultured B. amphitrite was indistinguishable from cyprids reared from field-collected barnacles. In laboratory cyprid settlement assays of extracts from marine sessile organisms, antifouling activity was expressed as the 99% inhibitory concentration (IC99), and toxicity as the 30% lethal concentration (LC30). The lipophilic extract of the marine bryozoan, Zoobotryon pellucidum, which showed promising antifouling activity, yielded 2,5,6-tribromo-1-methylgramine (TBG) by bioassay-guided isolation. The inhibitory activity of TBG was 6 times as strong as that of bis-(n-butyltin)oxide (TBTO), while its toxicity to cypris larvae was one-tenth that of TBTO. A structure-activity relationship study with 155 indole derivatives led to the discovery of the non-toxic antifoulant candidates 5,6-dichlorogramine, 5-chloro-2-methylgramine, and 5,6-dichrolo-1-methylgramine (DCMG), the latter being selected as the antifouling paint ingredient for performance evaluation tests (panel tests) following the results of a preliminary safety tests. A silicone-based antifouling paint containing 5-10% of DCMG was prepared and tested in the field; the painted surfaces remained almost barnacle-free for 1.5 years similar to silicone coatings such as Biox. Since the leaching rate of DCMG from the paint surface could be controlled by the addition of an acrylic acid-styrene copolymer (ASP), the life of the antifouling performance is expected to be improved. Thus, an extremely non-toxic silicone-based antifouling paint containing DCMG is under development.