The Late Miocene coldspot of z-coral diversity in the Mediterranean: patterns and causes

The Late Miocene distribution and diversity of zooxanthellate-like corals in the Mediter-ranean are analyzed in their paleobiogeographical framework, using our REEFCORALdatabase. The Late Miocene Mediterranean pool reached 20 z-coral genera. Although thisfauna could build flourishing reef ecosystems during the Early Messinian, it was a relictfauna with severely limited speciation that lived on the edge of its ecological requirementsin terms of solar energy and temperature range. Most z-coral genera, because they hadlong stratigraphic ranges and had survived previous extinctions, were able to adapt tothe Messinian environments, which were unusual for such biotas. Hence, Porites, the mostwidespread genus in the region and also the most dominant in ecological assemblages, wasthe best equipped to cope with the drastic changes related to the Messinian Salinity Crisis.