Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Department of Biological Survey

Abstract

Corals reef is the richest and biologically diverse ecosystems.  Larak island which is located in the Persian Gulf have coral reef ecosystem. Sampling has been carried out  by SCUBA diving method and estimated fringing reef grew around the north part of this Island during the years of  2000-2001. The distribution of reef was determined through field observation and about 2-6 meters depth below the mean low tide. Our results showed  identified corals belonging to seven  families, eight genera and 12 species. Seven  families  belonging to Scleractinia order and one species belonging to Alcyonacea order  . In Scleractini six families were:  Acroporidae, Pocilloporidae, Agriicidae,  Siderasteridae, Poritidae, Faviidae and seven genera which had identified  were  Acropora , Porites , Platygyra , Psammocora ,Pavana, Favia and Stylophora .  The most important families in order to the number of genera and species were Acroporidae, Faviidae and Poritidae

Keywords

Castro, P., and M. Nuber. (2000). Marine biology. Third edition. Mc. Graw Hill. PP: 444
Brown, B. E., (1988). Assessing enviro-nmental impact on coral reef .Proc 6th int. coral reef Symp. Townsuille, Australlia.
Fatemi, M.R., (1994). Persian Gulf Corals,  Abzian, 5(6): 8-14.
Nybakken J.W., (1993).Marine biology an ecological approach . third edition .Harper Collins Publishers .pp-461.
Safaeian. SH., Nohi, M., Asmar, A. Rostaeian, (2002). Identification and some charachteristics of a bacterium (Streptomyces spp.) on a soft coral (Sinularia erecta ) from Persian Gulf .Iranian Journal of marine sciences . 1(2): 51-59
Sadeghei, E., (1997). Identification and distribution coral reef In Kish Island. Research Teisses. Islamic Azad University. North Tehran Branch. PP. 109.
Sheppard C.R.C., Price, A. R. G., G. Roberts. (1992). Marine Ecology of Arabian Region First edition. Academic Press. PP. 358.
Sheppard, C. R. C., (1991). Will marine life survey in the Gulf? New Scientist 19 (59): 36-40.
Sheppard, C. R. C. and A. L. S Sheppard,(1991). Coral and Coral Communities of Arabian fauna of Saudi Arabia. 12: 1-170.
Sheppard, C. R. C., (2006). Longer term impact of climate change. In I. M. Cote, & J. D. Reynolds (Eds.), Coral reef conservation. pp. 264-90. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
 Shokri, M.R., Ardakani, O., Sharifi, A., Abdoullahi, P.and Nazarian, M., (2000). Status of coral reefs around Kish Island in the Iranian Persian Gulf. Proceeding of an international symposium on the extent and impact of coral bleaching in the Arabia region. Riyadh .Saudi Arabia.
 
Rosen, B. R., (1971). The distribution of reef Coral genera in the Indian Ocean. Symposium of the Zoology Society. London. Vol. 28: 263-299.  
 Veron, J., (2000). Corals of the World. Volume 3, 3rd Edition. Australia: Australian Institute of Marine Sciences and CRR Qld Pty Ltd.