Grasshoff, M. (2000). The gorgonians of the Sinai coast and the Strait of Gubal, Red Sea (Coelenterata, Octocorallia). Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg. 224: 1-125.

335710

Grasshoff, M.

2000

224: 1-125

Publication

A taxonomic evaluation of the gorgonians of the shores of the Sinai, the Strait of Gubal and the southern Gulf of Suez is presented. It is mainly based on material which has been collected by Israeli and German researchers in the last three decades. Additionally, the material of former descriptions has been re-studied; previous studies on this fauna date back to 1938-1940. Morphological characters and observations in the field permit the distinguishing of 47 species in 27 genera. These genera and 15 species are known from the tropical Indo-Pacific, 32 species only from the Red Sea, and 19 species are described as new. New species: Family Melithaeidae: Acabaria sinaica. Family Acanthogorgiidae: Acanthogorgia gubalensis, Anthogorgia caerulea, Muricella sayad. Family Plexauridae: Astrogorgia sara, Astrogorgia lea, Astrogorgia milka, Astrogorgia jiska, Acanthomuricea dina, Acanthomuricea silpa, Echinogorgia rebekka, Paraplexaura debora, Lapidogorgia batseba, Menella kanisa, Villogorgia mabahith, Paracis chawwa, Bebryce sulfurea. Family Ellisellidae: Verrucella klunzingeri, Verrucella gubalensis. The highest diversity of species inhabiting the reefs is in the southern part of the Sinai, where 30 species were found. In the northern shores of the Sinai near Eilat, only 16 of these species occur, and 16 different species have been obtained from deeper waters (at about 70 m, and at 168 m).

RIS (EndNote, Reference Manager, ProCite, RefWorks)
BibTex (BibDesk, LaTeX)

[Back to search]