Site 5 - Punta Longa

The alternation of landscapes and the wealth of benthic flora and fauna guarantee a highly valuable dive. Numerous small shoals characterise the southern area of the island of Favignana, where Punta Longa is located, and correspond to the summit part of morphological reliefs of a structural geological nature ('Pali'). The top of the shoal that is the subject of this dive is located at 19 m where, among the rich algal populations mixed with extensions of Posidonia oceanica, it is possible to find colonies of the white gorgonian (Eunicella singularis) and in the crevices, bryozoans (Pentapora fascialis, Turbicellepora avicularis) and extensive patches formed by pink-orange sponges (Hexadella racovitzai, Spirastrella cunctatrix), yellow (Axinella verrucosa, A. damicornis) and blue (Phorbas tenacior), on which the red star Hacelia attenuata contrasts. The spirograph Sabella spallanzanii and the serpulid Protula sp. show off their colourful gill tufts. Large, dense fans of red (Paramuricea clavata) and yellow (Eunicella cavolinii) gorgonians catch the eye, often colonised by tunicates (Clavelina lepadiformis), the alcyonaceous Parerythropodium coralloides and bryozoans (Pentaporafascialis, Reteporellagrimaldii, Hornerafrondiculata). Amongst the gorgonians swim king mullets (Apogon imberbis), brown (Chromis chromis) and red (Anthias anthias). Equally rich is the encrusting layer at the base of the gorgonians, with bright red and green coralline algae (Palmophyllum crassum), mosaics of sponges, long-spined urchins (Centrostephanus longispinus) and the lobster (Palinurus elephas). On the biodetritic bottom, at about 32 m, there are rocks on the top of which stand out the candelabrum branches of the yellow sponge (Axinella polypoides), white gorgonians (E. singularis), while among the algal component (Asparagopsis armata, Dictyotales spp., Caulerpa racemosa) one can find Holoturia forskali and specimens of the echiuridae Bonellia viridis.

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