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Species composition and distribution of Alcyonacea (Octocorallia) in the northern Persian Gulf

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 August 2021

Shemshad Shahbazi Open the ORCID record for Shemshad Shahbazi [Opens in a new window] ,
Nasrin Sakhaei Open the ORCID record for Nasrin Sakhaei [Opens in a new window] ,
Hossein Zolgharnein  and
Catherine S. McFadden
Shemshad Shahbazi
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran
Nasrin Sakhaei*
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran
Hossein Zolgharnein
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Biology, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran
Catherine S. McFadden
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Nasrin Sakhaei, E-mail: sakhaei@kmsu.ac.ir
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Abstract

Studies concerning octocoral species from the Persian Gulf coral reefs are few. This study documents the diversity and abundance of octocoral communities from three islands in the north Persian Gulf, namely, Larak Island, Hengam Island and Qeshm Island. Belt transects were used to survey the octocoral communities at these islands. We used a rapid ecological assessment technique (REA) to assess the status and abundance of octocorals. Also, K Independent sample analysis was conducted on abundance and Shannon Diversity index data to determine if octocoral abundance and species diversity varied between islands. A total of 22 morphospecies, belonging to seven alcyonacean families, including Plexauridae, Ellisellidae, Alcyoniidae, Nephtheidae, Briareidae, Acanthogorgiidae and Subergorgiidae, were identified in this study. Statistical analysis indicated octocoral abundance and diversity at Larak Island reefs were higher than those around Hengam and Qeshm islands. The primary data presented in this study could serve as the baseline data for long-term biomonitoring programmes to estimate the status of octocorals in the Persian Gulf.

Keywords

Biodiversitycoral reefsecologygorgonianssoft coral communities
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 101 , Issue 3 , May 2021 , pp. 535 - 543
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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