The endemic Mediterranean reef building vermetid gastropods Dendropoma petraeum complex (Dendropoma spp) and Vermetus triquetrus develop bio-constructions (rims) on rocky shorelines at about Mean Sea Level (MSL) and are therefore commonly used as relative sea-level (RSL) markers. In this study, we use elevations and age data of vermetid reefs to (1) re-assess the vertical uncertainties of these biological RSL indicators, and (2) evaluate the vertical growth rates along a Mediterranean east-west transect, in attempt to explain the differences found in both growth rates and uncertainties. In Israel, Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and laser measurements relative to the local datum show that the reef surfaces mainly occupy the upper intertidal zone with variations in elevation from +0.51 ± 0.07 m to +0.13 ± 0.05 m along the coast. However, in specific sites the vertical uncertainty exceeds the tidal range. In some places the local vermetid species D. anguliferum and V. triquetrus appear to alternate along the vertical rim profiles. This study documents a spatial variability of vertical growth rates, ranging from ~1 mm yr⁻¹ in Israel and Crete, to ~0.1–0.2 mm yr⁻¹ in NW Sicily and Spain. The order of magnitude of the difference in growth rates correlates with the east-west spatial thermal gradient of Sea-Surface Temperature (SST). Preferential skeleton deposition of D. petraeum and V. triquetrus measured by growth axis δ¹⁸O analysis shows that most calcification occurs at SST above the mean annual value. These findings indicate that vermetid reefs are a site-specific RSL indicator, displaying various vertical uncertainties and inner-structure complexities. Local data on the indicative range of vermetids are required when reconstructing relative sea-level changes using fossil vermetids.

地中海特有的珊瑚礁建筑，有极好的腹足纲动物Dendropoma petraeum complex（Dendropoma spp）和Vermetus triquetrus在大约平均海平面（MSL）的岩石海岸线上开发生物构造（边缘），因此通常用作相对海平面（RSL）标记。在这项研究中，我们使用淡紫色礁石的海拔和年龄数据来（1）重新评估这些生物RSL指标的垂直不确定性，以及（2）评估沿地中海东西向样带的垂直增长率，以试图解释增长率和不确定性方面的差异。在以色列，差分全球定位系统（DGPS）和相对于本地基准的激光测量结果表明，礁石表面主要占据潮间带上部区域，沿海岸的高度从+0.51±0.07 m到+0.13±0.05 m变化。但是，在特定地点，垂直不确定性超出了潮汐范围。在某些地方，当地的met虫种类D. anguliferum和V. triquetrus似乎沿垂直轮辋轮廓交替出现。这项研究文件的垂直生长速率的空间变化，从约1毫米的年^-1在以色列和克里特岛，以〜0.1-0.2毫米岁^-1在NW西西里岛和西班牙。增长率差异的数量级与海表面温度（SST）的东西空间热梯度相关。的优先骨架沉积D. petraeum和V. triquetrus由生长测量轴线δ ¹⁸O分析表明，大多数钙化发生在高于平均年值的SST。这些发现表明，淡淡的珊瑚礁是特定于地点的RSL指示物，显示出各种垂直不确定性和内部结构的复杂性。使用化石ver虫重建相对海平面变化时，需要有关ver虫指示范围的本地数据。