Hooked and tubular coralline algae indicate seagrass beds associated to Mediterranean Messinian reefs (Poniente Basin, Almería, SE Spain)

► We describe the lithofacies and geometry of Mediterranean Messinian reef deposits. ► Abundant hooked coralline algae indicate extensive seagrass beds associated to reefs. ► Benthic foraminifers confirm the existence of seagrass meadows. ► Foliose coralline fragments (algal flakes) can be indicative of ancient seagrass beds. ► They can be a useful palaeoenvironmental tool in Mediterranean Neogene deposits.