Agarna malayi Tiwari 1952

© 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan Open Access The Scleractinia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) of Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands, Persian Gulf Parisa Alidoost Salimi1, Pargol Ghavam Mostafavi1,*, Chaolun Allen Chen2, Seyed Mohammad Reza Fatemi1, and Michel Pichon3 1Department of Marine Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 2Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan 3Queensland Museum, Townsville, QLD, Australia (Received 25 February 2018; Accepted 18 October 2018; Published 17 December 2018; Communicated by Yoko Nozawa) Citation: Alidoost Salimi P, Mostafavi PG, Chen CA, Fatemi SMR, Pichon M. 2018. The scleractinia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) of Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands, Persian Gulf. Zool Stud 57:56. doi:10.6620/ZS.2018.57-56. Parisa Alidoost Salimi, Pargol Ghavam Mostafavi, Chaolun Allen Chen, Seyed Mohammad Reza Fatemi, and Michel Pichon (2018) There are many islands in the Iranian waters, but little is known about their coral species. This is a first attempt to describe and illustrate the coral species occurring in Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands. Overall, 26 species belonging to 9 families are reported, and three unidentified species and two species are added to coral communities of Iran. This study also provides overall insight on coral fauna in the Persian Gulf. Key words: Corals, Morphological identification, Abu-Musa Island, Sirri Island, Persian Gulf. *Correspondence: E-mail: [email protected] BACKGROUND The Persian Gulf, which is considered part of the Indo-Pacific, is a semi-enclosed epicontinental sea that is linked to the Oman Sea by the Strait of Hormuz (Sheppard et al. 1992). The coral fauna of the Persian Gulf appear to be relatively similar to those of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The similarity could be due to a shared paleoceanographic history of restriction during the last sea-level low stand and simultaneous flooding during the Holocene transgression (Riegl and Purkis 2012). Despite this shared restriction, the Red Sea has more endemic species and greater diversity than the Persian Gulf (Sheppard and Sheppard 1991; Riegl and Purkis 2012; Rasul and Stewart 2015). Nevertheless, the low coral diversity in the Persian Gulf may not necessarily be the result of primary isolation, because a same or even a greater isolation has occurred in the Red Sea (Coles 2003). Compared to other coral communities in tropical regions, the coral fauna of the Persian Gulf have been subjected to a wide range of natural stressors (Riegl and Purkis 2012; Coles 2003; Burt et al. 2014). The extreme seasonal variation in sea surface temperature (16-36°C), high turbidity, high salinity (36-43 PPT), and overall stressful conditions have led to regular coral mortality, which has eventually prevented the build-up of a true reef framework. Therefore, the coral assemblages in this region are more appropriately referred to as “coral carpets” rather than “coral reefs” (Burt et al. 2014). In fact, coral carpets are defined as non-accreting coral communities and nonthree dimensional structures; the colonies grow on exposed rocky substrates rather than building on older dead coral skeletons. This type of coral Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) doi:10.6620/ZS.2018.57-56 1 © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan assemblages is generally dominated by sedimenttolerant species and mainly occupies flat areas (Riegl and Piller 1999; Burt et al. 2014). Most studies on corals species, such as those carried out by Downing (1985), Sheppard and Wells (1988), Sheppard and Sheppard (1991), Carpenter et al. (1997) and Riegl and Purkis (2012) are related to the southern parts of the Persian Gulf. These studies revealed that the highest coral diversity is found in Saudi Arabia (50 species) and then the UAE (34 species) (Sheppard and Sheppard 1991; Coles 2003; Riegl and Purkis 2012). Compared to the southern regions, fewer studies have been conducted on coral species in Iranian waters. There are 17 islands in Iranian waters that are surrounded by corals including Farsi, Greater and Lesser Tombs, Abu-Musa, Sirri, etc. However, lack of information and research on the coral fauna from the Iranian Islands in comparison to the southern parts has led to underestimation of the actual richness of coral species in this region. So far, 31 species from Nay-Band Bay and Kish and Farur Islands and 40 species from Larak Island have been reported (Fatemi and Shokri 2001; Riegl and Purkis 2012; Vajed Samiei et al. 2013, Rahmani et al. 2013; pers obs). The presence of numerous coral species in the Persian Gulf demonstrates the adaptability of many Indo-Pacific species to the environmental conditions experienced in the Gulf and their tolerance to extreme conditions. Such tolerance could also help better understand the potential survival and adaptation of similar coral species elsewhere, in the face of climate change (Coles and Riegl 2013; Burt et al. 2014). The aim of this study was to describe and illustrate the coral species occurring in Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands. Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands are located about midway across the width of the Persian Gulf (near the Strait of Hormuz) and their coral communities are mostly found in the shallow waters. Nomenclature for genera and families is based on the recent changes introduced by Budd et al. (2012) and later taxonomic revisions. This study also provides overall insight into the coral fauna composition from the Persian Gulf by amalgamating observations from the present study with previous reports. MATERIALS AND METHODS Before actually sampling the coral species in Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands, initial surveys were conducted using manta tow method to find out representative areas in terms of coral coverage. Based on coral coverage, six sites in Abu-Musa and four sites in Sirri Islands respectively were selected for coral sampling (Fig. 1). Sampling N Fig. 1. Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands in the Persian Gulf; the red circle indicates the sampling sites. page 2 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan was carried out along non-straight lines (due to scattered coral distributions) by scuba diving in August 2015 at depths between 3-10 m, except for Turbinaria sp. 1, Turbinaria peltata and Goniopora djiboutiensis, which were collected by one deep diving at a depth of 22 m in Sirri Island. The corals were photographed in situ using an underwater camera, Canon G12. Approximately 5-10 cm2 of each colony was broken off using hammer and chisel and transported to Marine Biology laboratory of Science and Research Branch, Azad University. In the laboratory, coral samples were bleached in a sodium hypochlorite solution (10%), rinsed with fresh water, and then air-dried. All available specimens were examined under a stereomicroscope (Leica, EZ490). Specimens were identified to the species level based on skeleton traits (as corallite arrangement, septa, columella, costae, paliform lobes, etc.) according to available taxonomic guides (Veron et al. 1977; Veron and Pichon 1979 1982; Veron and Wallace 1984; Miller 1994; Pichon et al. 2010; Riegl and Purkis 2012). The skeletal characters were measured and counted from 5-20 randomly selected mature corallites per colony. Twenty-six samples from Hengam, Larak and Kish Islands and Nay-Band Bay were also collected in December 2016 and May 2017, and were included in this study as additional materials. All the collected specimens are lodged in the Zoological Museum of University of Tehran (ZUTC), Accession No. from ZUTC 6578 to 6634. RESULTS Overall, we collected sixty-one specimens of scleractinian corals from Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands. Twenty-six species belonging to 9 scleractinian families have been identified and they are described and illustrated below. Family Acroporidae Verrill, 1902 Genus Acropora Oken, 1815 Acropora downingi Wallace, 1999 (Fig. 2) Synonym: Acropora downingi Wallace, 1999 Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6578), Sirri Island (ZUTC 6579). Other Material: Larak Island (ZUTC 6580), Hengam Island (ZUTC 6581). Description: Color was brown to dark brown. Colonies are Plate-like with short vertical branches over the plates. Corallite diameter 1 mm. Primary septa well developed. Coenosteum between redial corallite simple spinule and costate. Radial wall porous. Distribution: Widespread in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. However, most of Acropora species have bleached in summer 2017 as a result of extreme summer temperatures. In some area as Bahrain, Abu Dhabi (Riegl and Purkis 2012) and in the Nay-Band bay in Busher Province (Personal observation), presence of Acropora species is reduced or disappeared. Genus Montipora de Blainville, 1830 Montipora sp. (Fig. 3) Synonym: Montipora de Blainville 1830; Manopora Dana, 1846. Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6582). Description: Color is uniformly pale light brown. Colony is encrusting to sub massive. Corallites diameter is almost 1 mm. Six septa in 2 alternating orders, secondary septa limited to wall. Corallites immersed. Theca papillae (5-6) taller than coenosteum papillae and not fused together. Coenosteum reticulated. Columella absent. Remarks: The colony was small size. Corallites were relatively similar to those of Montipora aequituberculata (Veron and Wallace 1984). The specimen of Montipora cf. aequituberculata deposited at ZTUC (Acc. No Cnid. 1003) have been re-examined, but its growth forms and the corallites does not resemble to the present specimen. Distribution: Known from the northern part of the Persian Gulf. Family Agariciidae Gray, 1847 Genus Pavona Lamarck, 1801 Pavona decussata (Dana, 1846) (Fig. 4) Synonym: Pavonia decussata Dana, 1846; Pavona lata Dana, 1846; Pavona seriata Brüggemann, 1879. Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6583), Sirri Island (ZUTC 6584). Other Material: Nay-band Bay (ZUTC 6585), page 3 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan Kish Island (ZUTC 6586). Description: Color is greenish with some shade of brown. Colony is encrusting at the base from which numerous thick bifacial fronds extending more or less vertically, upper margin of fronds straight or contorted. Corallites arrangement is thamnasterioid and formation by extratentacular budding. Septa arranged in 2 alternating orders, primary septa markedly exert, thick and reaching/ fusing to the columella. Secondary septa less Fig. 2. Acropora downingi, (a-b) Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands; (c-d) Larak and Hengam Islands; (e-f) close-up of radial and axial corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 4 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan exert, short and sometimes only discerned at the calice rim. Septal margin is smooth, plunging vertically into the calices. Septocostae is well developed, regular, in straight rows alternating in thickness and height. Columella is a single low boss or granule, rod-like, sometimes flattened laterally. Coenosteum reticulated. Remarks: In the Persian Gulf, P. decussata displays two colony forms; type 1 (Fig. 4a) have a thick bifacial fronds extending more or less vertically with greenish color. In type 2 (Fig. 4b), the bifacial frond is not clear and color is whitebrown. Phylogenetic analysis (rDNA region) carried out by authors showed that both mentioned types are monophyletic and well supported (unpublished study). Distribution: Widespread in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific. Pavona cactus (Forskål, 1775) (Fig. 5) Synonym: Madrepora cactus Forskål, 1775; Pavona praetorta Dana, 1846; Pavona formosa Dana, 1846; Pavona venusta Dana, 1846; Lophoseris knorri Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851. Material examined: Sirri Island (ZUTC 6587). Description: The color is pale light brown. Margins paler in color than the sides. Colony is typically frondose, fronds thin, bifacial and anastomosing. Free upper margin, either straight or contorted. Corallites arrangement is Fig. 3. (a-b) Montipora sp. from Abu-Musa Island; (c-d) close-up of corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 5 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan Fig. 4. (a-b) Different colonies of Pavona decussata from Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands; (c-d) close-up of orallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 6 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan thamnasterioid and formation by extratentacular budding. Septa are in 2 alternating orders, Primary septa slightly exert and reaching/fusing to the columella. Secondary septa less exert and short. Septocostae is well developed, regular straight rows between corallite centers. Columella is rodlike (styliform). Coenosteum reticulated. Remarks: This species has much thinner fronds than P. dacussata. There is a similarity between P. cactus and P. frondifera, but striking difference in their colony shapes. Plates usually have radiating ridges which intergrade with fronds in P. frondifera. Distribution: Common in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Indo-Pacific. Family Dendrophylliidae Gray, 1847 Genus Turbinaria Oken, 1815 Turbinaria peltata (Esper, 1794) (Fig. 6) Synonym: Madrepora peltata Esper, 1794; Gemmipora peltata Esper, 1794, Turbinaria dichotoma Verrill, 1870; Turbinaria maxima Ortmann, 1888. Material examined: Sirri Island (ZUTC 6588). Other Material: Kish (ZUTC 6589). Description: Colony is a horizontal plate, thickness range 7-13 mm. Corallites are conspicuously larger than in any other Turbinaria species. Corallites arrangement is plocoid, from slightly protruding to immersed, also present on the edge of the corallum. Corallites average diameter 4 mm. Septa arranged mostly in 2 orders with 20-23 septa, at time hardly distinguishable. They project inwards 1/2 calice radius. Columella is one or a few elongate lamellar process with granulated Fig. 5. (a-b) Pavona cactus from Sirri Islands; (c-d) close-up of corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 7 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan sides. Costae absent. Coenosteum and exotheca are reticulated and echinulated. Remarks: It is mostly found in the deeper parts of the reefs. Affinities of T. peltata to the genus Duncanopsammia, Wells, 1936 have been suggested by Arrigoni et al. 2014. Distribution: Not common in the Persian Gulf and usually can be found in deeper waters. Turbinaria sp. 1 (Fig. 7) Synonym: Explanaria Lamarck, 1816; Gemmipora de Blainville, 1830; Turbinacis Quenstedt, 1880. Material examined: Sirri Island (ZUTC 6590). Description: Colony is a small plate, attached to the bottom. The plate thickness is 2-7 mm. Corallites are small but distinctly protuberant, roughly arranged in lines more or less parallel to the margin of the corallum. A line or series of corallites conspicuously present on the very edge of the corallum. Calice diameter range 1-3 mm. Septa are well developed, reaching up to 2/3 of the calice radius with mostly 12 septa in one order. Septal margins distinctly and irregularly serrated. Columella is a small peg-like trabecular rising vertically. Occasionally the calice is almost completely invaded by a large mass of twisted and anastomosed trabecular, giving the appearance of a “closed” corallite. Costae absent. Coenosteum and exotheca are reticulated and echinulated. Remarks: Corallites are similar to those of T. reniformis. However, the growth form differs from T. reniformis that had been reported from Abu-Dhabi (Riegl and Purkis 2012). The corallites size is smaller than that of the same species in the Yemen (Pichon et al. 2010). Because of limited material and small colony, positive species identification is not possible. Distribution: Rare in the Persian Gulf. Turbinaria sp. 2 (Fig. 8) Synonym: Explanaria Lamarck, 1816; Gemmipora de Blainville, 1830; Turbinacis Quenstedt, 1880. Fig. 6. (a) Turbinaria peltata from Sirri Island. Scale bar = 1 cm; (b-d) close-up of corallites and columella. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 8 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan Material examined: Sirri Island (ZUTC 6591). Description: The color is light brown. Colony is small, encrusting and irregular in shape. Corallites formation by extratentacular budding. Corallites are tubular and mostly protruding above the surface of the corallum, nearly cylindrical to semi-conical in shape with aperture circular. Calice diameter 1-2 mm. Septa are mostly 12 to 16 in one order, very short and most projecting inwards 1/3 calice radius. Septal free inner margin usually vertical or near vertical, very finely dentate, side smooth without ornamentation. Columella is smooth and twisted. Coenosteum and exotheca are reticulated and echinulated. Remarks: This specimen was found in shallow waters of Sirri Island. Because of limited material, positive species identification is not possible. Distribution: Rare in the Persian Gulf. Family Plesiastreidae Dai & Horng, 2009 Genus Plesiastrea Milne Edwards and Haime, 1848 Plesiastrea versipora (Lamarck, 1816) (Fig. 9) Synonym: Astraea versipora Lamarck, 1816; Plesiastrea urvillei Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Plesiastrea quatrefagiana Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Milne Edwards & Haime (as P. quatrefaeesana) (1857); Brüggemann (1879); Plesiastrea peroni Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857; Favia versipora Lamarck 1816; Plesiastrea proximans Dennant, 1904; Orbicella gravien Vaughan, 1918; Favia ingolfi Crossland, 1931. Material examined: Sirri Island (ZUTC 6592). Description: Color is light brown. Colony is encrusting and irregular in shape. Corallites formation by extratentacular budding. Corallites are close to each other, arrangement is plocoid and Fig. 7. (a) Turbinaria sp.1 from Sirri Islands. Scale bar = 1 cm; (b-d) close-up of corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 9 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan by intratentacular budding. Outline subcircular to polygonal. Calice diameter is 5-8 mm. Some corallites are raised and have a nodular form. Up to 40 septa regularly spaced in two orders. First order reaching the columella. Second order reduced and limited to wall. Septal margin dentation well developed, size of the dentations increasing near the calice center. Septa of adjacent corallites are continuous above the common walls. Paliform lobes are absent or inconspicuous. Columella is spongy. Theca is angular, particularly in the corallites present on the nodules or humps of the corallum. The structure and appearance of the thecae often vary greatly from one part of the corallum to another. They are usually thin and irregular on hillocky parts and broad on flat parts where calices are shallow. Remarks: In the present study, the specimens have slightly larger corallites than those found outside the Persian Gulf. This species may be confused with F. abdita or F. pentagona in the field. However, the wall of F. chinensis is thinner than F. pentagona and the corallite is fairly angled (Sheppard and Sheppard 1991). Distribution: Rare in the Persian Gulf and Indo-Pacific. Genus Platygyra Ehrenberg, 1834 Platygyra daedalea (Ellis and Solander, 1786) (Fig. 16) Synonym: Madrepora daedalea Ellis & Solander, 1786; Astroria astraeiformis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Astroria Fig. 14. (a-b) Morphotypes of Favites pentagona from Sirri and Abu-Musa Islands; (c-d) close-up of corallites and well developed paliform. Scale bar = 1 mm page 16 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan daedalea (Ellis & Solander, 1786); Astroria esperi Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Caeloria daedalea (Ellis & Scholander, 1786); Coeloria astraeiformis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849); Coeloria esperi (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849); Coeloria rustica (Dana, 1846); Maeandra astraeiformis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849); Maeandra daedalea (Ellis & Solander, 1786); Maeandrina daedalea (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849); Maeandrina rustica Dana, 1846; Meandra esperi (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849); Platygyra astraeiformis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849); Platygyra esperi (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849); Platygyra rustica (Dana, 1846). Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6606), Sirri Island (ZUTC 6607). Other Material: Kish island (ZUTC 6608), Nay-Band Bay (ZUTC 6609). Description: Colony is encrusting and massive to sub massive. Corallites arrangement is meandroid. Septa are in two orders (mostly distinguishable). Septa slightly exert above the wall. Septal margins ornamented with teeth. Septal side frequently connected by a thin vertical ridge running parallel to the valley axis above the wall. Exertness of septa above the theca (ES) 1-2 mm, valley width (VW) 4-5 mm, valley depth (VD) 4.5-6 mm (vertically from the columella to the top of the septa). Paliform lobes absent. Columella present. Wall is thin and not perforated. Remarks: The genus Platygyra is a common throughout the Indo-Pacific and its species displays wide genotypic and phenotypic variation (Veron et al. 1977). The specimens showed different colony forms and colors in the field (Fig. 16a-b), but skeletal examination indicated their corallites traits (VW, VD, ES, etc.) are stable, so that collected Fig. 15. (a-b) Favites chinensis from Abu-Musa Island; (c-d) close-up of corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 17 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan specimens belonged to a single species. Distribution: Widespread in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Indo-Pacific. Genus Dipsastraea de Blainville, 1830 Dipsastraea pallida (Dana, 1846) (Fig. 17) Synonym: Astraea (Fissicella) denticulata Dana, 1846; Astraea cellulosa Verrill, 1872; Astraea denticulata Dana, 1846; Astraea doreyensis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857); Astraea ordinata Verrill, 1866; Favia amplior (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849); Favia denticulata (Gardiner, 1904); Favia doreyensis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1850; Favia laccadivica Gardiner, 1904; Favia okeni Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857; Favia pallida (Dana, 1846); Favia tubulifera Klunzinger, 1879; Goniastraea serrata Ortmann, 1889; Heliastrea borradailei Gardiner, 1904; Parastrea amplior Milne Edwards & Haime, 1850; Parastrea verrilleana Milne Edwards & Haime, 1850. Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6610), Sirri Island (ZUTC 6611). Other Material: Nay-Band Bay (ZUTC 6612), Kish Island (ZUTC 6613). Description: Colony is massive and hemispherical. Corallites arrangement is plocoid to subplocoid, even sub ceroid in parts of the colony. Corallites formation by intratentacular budding. Corallite and calice diameter are 8-10 mm and 8-9 mm, respectively. 22-28 septa in two orders (sometimes indistinguishable). Septa are well separated and exert above the wall margin. Most septa descend abruptly down the endotheca and then reach the columella. Septal margins always ornamented with very short and irregular Fig. 16. (a-b) Different colonies of Platygyra daedalea from Abu-Musa (rather flat) and Sirri Islands (spherical); (c-d) close-up of corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 18 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan dentations. These dentations are themselves finely serrated, especially at their tips which frequently form minute horizontal fans. Palar structures absent (occasionally may be weakly present). Columella is spongy. Costae equal and sometimes adjacent costae join together. Remarks: The specimens showed different colony forms and colors in the field; however, their Fig. 17. (a-c-e) Different colonies of Dipsastraea pallida from Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands; (b-d-f) close-up of their corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 19 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan skeletal features were similar (Fig. 17a, c-d). D. pallida had a smaller corallite size than the other species and a slightly lower calic (Kongjandtre et al. 2012). Pale discoloration is because of presence mucus sheathing (Fig. 17a-c) (Alidoost Salimi et al. 2017). Distribution: Widespread in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Indo-Pacific. Dipsastraea favus (Forskål, 1775) (Fig. 18) Synonym: Madrepora favus (pars) Forskål, 1775; Madrepora cavernosa Forsskål, 1775; Madrepora denticulata Ellis & Solander, 1786; Parastrea denticulata Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Favia jacquinoti Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857; Favia geoffroyi Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857; Favia deformata Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857; Favia aspera Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857; Favia ehrenbergi Klunzinger, 1879; Orbicella borradailei Gardiner, 1904. Material examined: Sirri Island (ZUTC 6614). Description: Colony is massive and hemispherical. Corallites are circular and arrangement is plocoid. Corallites formation by extratentacular budding. Corallite and calice diameter 9-12 mm and 7-11 mm, respectively. Septa are well separated and exert above the wall margin. 24-40 septa in 2 or 3 orders. Primary order septa reach columella, third order reduced or abortive (orders sometimes indistinctive). Septa descend steeply into the calyx immediately from the wall towards the center. Palar structures absent or weakly developed. Columella is compact. Costae equal, dentate and adjacent costae sometimes joined together. Coenosteum smooth Remarks: The skeleton did not clearly show the more common shape of the corallites, and it should be noted that there is considerable intraspecific variability in this particular species. Fig. 18. (a-b) Dipsastraea favus from Sirri Island; (c-d) close-up of corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 20 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan Dipsastraea favus displays a larger corallite size and higher calice compared to D. pallida (Kongjandtre et al. 2012), and this feature has been considered as a main criterion for identification. The pale mucus sheaths were peeling off, revealing the normal coloration underneath (Alidoost Salimi et al. 2017) (Fig. 18ab). Distribution: Uncommon in the Persian Gulf. Dipsastraea rotumana (Gardiner, 1899) (Fig. 19) Synonym: Astraea rotumana Gardiner, 1899; Favia rotumana (Gardiner, 1899) Material examined: Sirri Island (ZUTC 6615). Description: Colony is massive and hemispherical. Corallites outline are circular and irregular. Corallite arrangement is plocoid but occasionally tending to cerioid. Corallites formation by intratencular budding. Corallites and calice diameter are 9-13 mm and 7-11 mm, respectively. Septa are well separated and markedly exert above the wall margin. 24-38 septa in two or three orders. Primary septa are distinctively taller and thicker than the others, and steep descending. Secondary septa are shorter and descend abruptly down the calice without reaching the columella; third order septa abortive. Septal margins with conspicuous irregular dentations at times flattened transversally. All septa descend abruptly down the calice. Palar structures absent. Columella is small, trabecular. Costae equal and ornamented. Coenosteum smooth. Remarks: Pale discoloration is because of Fig. 19. (a) Dipsastraea rotumana from Sirri Island; (b) corallite/primary septa taller and thicker than other; (c-d) close-up of septa. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 21 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan presence mucus sheathing (Fig. 19a) (Alidoost Salimi et al. 2017). The specimen seems relatively close to D. favus but the primary septa are distinctively taller and thicker than the other septa, which is characteristic of D. rotumana (Sheppard and Sheppard 1991; Veron et al. 1977). Distribution: Rare in the Persian Gulf, common in the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific. Family Lobophylliidae Dai and Horng, 2009 Genus Acanthastrea Milne Edwards and Haime, 1848 Acanthastrea echinata (Dana, 1846) (Fig. 20) Synonym: Astrea echinata Dana, 1846; Astrea patula Dana, 1846; Acanthastrea spinosa Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848; Acanthastrea hirsuta Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857; Acanthastrea brevis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Acanthastrea grandis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849; Favia hirsuta (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857); Favites hirsuta (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857). Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6616). Description: Colony is encrusting to massive with fleshy polyps. Corallites arrangement is cerioid and formation by intratentacular (sometimes marginal) budding. Outline circular to subcircular. Corallites diameter variable (average 10-15 mm). 24-31 septa in one order and reaching the columella. They are continuous over the wall extending from one corallite to the adjacent ones. Upper septal margin with 3-5 conspicuous, Fig. 20. (a-b) Acanthastrea echinata from Abu-Musa Island; (c) close-up of corallites; (d) septal margin with 3-5 conspicuous. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 22 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan large dentations with acute tips. Septal sides smooth. Columella is compact, a tangle of twisted trabecular. Distribution: Common in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Indo-Pacific. Family Poritidae Gray, 1842 Genus Porites Link, 1807 Porites harrisoni Veron, 2000 (Fig. 21) Synonym: Porites harrisoni Veron, 2000. Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6617), Sirri Island (ZUTC 6618). Other Material: Nay-Band Bay (ZUTC 6619), Kish Island (ZUTC 6620). Description: Colony basically columnar, but may tend towards nodular or even branching. An encrusting base may be visible. Color is mostly shades of dark brown. Corallites round to polygonal. Calice diameter 0.8 to 1 mm. Septa well developed with complete lateral pairs. Dorsal directive is relatively smaller than lateral pairs. Ventral triplet is generally free. Uncommonly a fusion (trident) may be observed. A synapticular ring may be present, deeper in the calice. Eight well developed pali, those of the dorsal directive septum and triplet being usually smaller than those of the lateral pairs. Generally one granule present on the septa, between the pali and the wall. Fig. 21. (a-b) Porites harrisoni from Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands; (c-d) close-up of corallites. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 23 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan Columella is small and styliform. Wall mostly thin with a row of granules on the upper edge. Remarks: The growth forms are nodular, columnar to branching, hence very different in comparison to P. lobata and P. lutea; the only similar species is P. nodifera, which makes much thicker columns and is rare in the Persian Gulf (Riegl and Purkis 2012). Some of the specimens from the Persian Gulf referred in the literature as P. compressa may actually belong to the present species. Distribution: The species is very common inside the Persian Gulf and is also present in the North West Arabian Sea (Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden) and the Red Sea. Porites lobata Dana, 1846 (Fig. 22) Synonym: Porites (Porites) lobata Dana, 1846; Porites lobata cf. nodulosa Hoffmeister, 1925; Porites globosa Nemenzo, 1976; Porites excavata Verrill, 1869. Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6621), Sirri Island (ZUTC 6622). Other Material: Kish Island (ZUTC 6623). Description: Colony thick encrusting to small massive. Surface may near some humps. Corallites round to polygonal. Calice diameter 1.0-1.5 mm. Septa well developed with complete lateral pairs; dorsal and ventral directives smaller than other septa. Ventral triplet is free (no fusion). Eight weakly developed pali, those of the dorsal directive septum and triplet usually being smaller than those of the lateral pairs. One granule present on the septa between the pali and the wall. Inner synapticular ring present. Columella present well-developed and styliform. Wall mostly thin, ornamented with a row of spicule-like granules on the upper edge. Fig. 22. (a-b) Different colonies of Porites lobata from Sirri and Abu-Musa Islands; (c) close-up of corallites and septal arrangements; (d) ventral triplet free. Scale bar = 1 mm. page 24 of 34Zoological Studies 57: 56 (2018) © 2018 Academia Sinica, Taiwan Remarks: The species differs from P. harrisoni in having encrusting or massive colony forms and eight weakly developed pali. Specimens display different morphotypes, while skeletal examination indicated septal pattern (as main criterion) is remarkably stable (Fig. 22c-d). It seems that P. lobata specimens are able to reform their growth strategy in order to persist over the reef framework (Tortolero-Langarica et al. 2016). Distribution: Widely distributed throughout the Persian Gulf. Very common in the Indo-Pacific and Pacific Ocean. Porites lutea Milne Edwards and Haime, 1851 (Fig. 23) Synonym: Porites conglomerata var. lutea Quoy & Gaimard, 1833; Porites lutea Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851; Porites arenosa var. lutea Gardiner 1898; Madrepora arenosa Esper, 1797; Porites tenuis Verrill, 1866; Porites haddoni Vaughan, 1918. Material examined: Abu-Musa Island (ZUTC 6624), Sirri Island (ZUTC 6625). Other Material: Nay-Band Bay (ZUTC 6626). Description: Color is light yellow to brown. Colony is submassive to massive. Corallite outline round to polygonal. Calice diameter 1.0-1.3 mm. Septa well developed and lateral pairs are complete and fusing at the end. 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