GROWTH OF THE MEDITERRANEAN GORGONIAN LOPHOGORGIA-CERATOPHYTA (L, 1758)

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.