Octocoral Euplexaura sp. from the Breakwater of Al-Faw Grand Port, Iraqi Marine Waters

Huda K. Ahmed; Aqeel A.A. Al-Waily; Malik H. Ali; Hanaa H. Mohammed

doi:10.58629/mjms.v41i1.426

Authors

Huda K. Ahmed Department of Marine Biology/ Marine Science Center/University of Basrah, Basra – Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9008-4951
Aqeel A.A. Al-Waily Department of Marine Biology/ Marine Science Center/University of Basrah, Basra – Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0779-3325
Malik H. Ali Department of Marine Biology/ Marine Science Center/University of Basrah, Basra – Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5139-6795
Hanaa H. Mohammed Department of Biological Evolution of Shatt Al-Arab and N W Arabian Gulf/ Marine Science Center/ University of Basrah, Basra- Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3609-0987

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58629/mjms.v41i1.426

Keywords:

Al-Faw breakwater , Euplexaura, Euplexauridae, South of Iraq , Octocorallia

Abstract

The octocoral species Euplexaura sp. was recorded for the first time during a survey of benthic invertebrates conducted in 2022 from the northwest Arabian Gulf at the eastern breakwater of Al-Faw Grand Port in the Iraqi marine waters. Two branching colonies and one young colony, all attached to the remains of an iron support, at the intertidal zone. The branches were cylindrical. The specimen was recognizing from colony’s branching structures and other intricate identification characteristic of sclerites such as the polyp and coenenchyma, both in surface and interior layers.