Distribution of bioconstructor coralline algae of the genus Lithophyllum along the Italian shores

In the Mediterranean biogenic habitats built by coralline algae (orders Corallinales, Hapalidiales and Sporolithales) show a great diversity and a large bathymetric extent. The genus Lithophyllum is the most species-diverse coralline genus and plays a key role in the formation of extensive bioconstructions, as the coralligenous concretions in the circalittoral and the “trottoirs” in the mid littoral. As part of a large-scale investigation of the marine bioconstructions of the Italian shores, we account here some results on the distribution, diversity and ecology for L. byssoides, L. cabiochiae and L. stictaeforme.