Octocorals in the Gulf Kaveh Samimi Namin Department

Octocorals in the Gulf Kaveh Samimi Namin Department of Marine Sciences, Khoram-Shahr University of Marine Sciences and Technology, Khuzestan province, Iran

Introduction : Phylum Cnidaria Class Anthozoa Subclass Octocorallia Order Alcyonacea

Specific characteristic of soft coral: • Each polyp bears eight hollow tentacles , which are fringed on both sides by one or several rows of pinnules.

What we know already ? • History of research about corals back to year 1911 by Harisson , Rosen 1971, Danish scientific investigations 1934, Harington 1976, Harger 1984, Sheppard 1991, in 1992 Shepperd reported Dendronephthya in west coast of Musandam. • He noted that the Gulf is almost completely lacking in soft coral. • In status of coral reef of the world 2004 , Rezai reported three genera of octocorallia ( Dendronephthya , Sarcophyton , Subergorgia ) from 7 islands that have been surveyed through 10 years.

The coral reefs area in Iranian part :

About this study

East coast of Kish island during summer and autumn 2005. ( Why east coast ? Because nobody fund this project, so east coast was easily accessible. )

Now, this study is doing in Hengam island. (in all coasts) All around this island is about 50 km. Every 1 -2 km will be checked. Now, north and west coasts are finished.

Material and Methods: Underwater surveys is do with SCUBA diving. Each survey start from seashore to depth around 40. (Depends on the sea floor profile) What data recorded : • Physical parameters such as salinity, turbidity , temperature • Substratum sampling for later sediment analysis.

Results: Some new records !

Family Plexauridae: Menella sp. Gray, 1870 Colony shape: Branched and whip like Sclerites: The characteristic sclerites form is leaf scale with tuberculate structure at one tip. the thorn scales of calyces with single , long spine from warty base. Habitat: Depth around 12, clear water, sandy rocky substratum.

Family Ellisellidae: Junceella sp. Valenciennes, 1855

Colony shape: Unbranched, whiplike Sclerites: Surface have club shape Habitat : Sandy and muddy bottoms

Family Plexauridae : Echinomuricea sp. Verrill, 1869

Colony shape: branched Sclerites : The major are thorn scales of the calyces with single, long spine from warty base. Habitat : Depth was around 12 m, with clear water ( visibility 8 m)

Family Plexauridae : Dendronepthya sp. Kukenthal, 1905 Polyps: Monomorphic and not retractile Colony shape: bushy Habitat : depth above 10 , with clear water ( visibility 8 m)

Main threatening factors: • Collecting for ornamental uses !!! • Trawling for harvesting shrimp and fishes • Pollution

What’s the problem for study about them ? ? ? • Almost all of these studies are about hard corals, and there is not specific study on soft corals !!! • We don’t know what we have in the Gulf !!! So how can we conserve something that we don’t have any information about that !!!

What’s the problem ? ? ? • There aren’t any scientific reports. Many local students have not published their works in international journals or symposiums, so finding this information in local unspecific magazines is very difficult. • Organizations that finance such taxonomic projects are too limited.

I would like to thank WWF for inviting and supporting me And also Dr. Leen Ofwegen for all of his supports

Thank you for your attention