Growth of the shallow-water gorgonian Lophogorgia ceratophyta was inve
stigated in an infralittoral station located in La Spezia Gulf, Liguri
an Sea. Mean annual height growth rate was estimated to be 2.57 cm - a
-1. The fractal dimension of the colonies was found to gradually evolv
e in complexity, exhibiting a simpler branching pattern in younger spe
cimens. The maintenance of a low, invariable ramification complexity a
s an optimal choice in managing relationships between water and the co
lony's living tissues is also discussed.