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Michel R. Claereboudt

  • Biodiversity Journal, 13 (1): 0065-0071

    Michel R. Claereboudt & Khalfan M. Alrashdi
    Echinoderm Diversity in the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2022.13.1.65.71

    ABSTRACT
    An extensive survey of most of the habitats of the coast of the Sultanate of Oman revealed an echinoderm biodiversity larger than anticipated. Survey dives were carried out in 5 regions of the Sultanate (Musandam, Capital area, Sur-Qalhat, Masirah and Dhofar) and all non-ophiuroid echinoderms were recorded. A total of 21 species of Holothuroids, 20 species of Echinoids, 6 Crinoids and 28 species of Asteroids were observed during the survey. The holothuroid Holothuria nobilis was observed for the first time north of the Red Sea and Holothuria arenacava, a burying sea cucumber, was observed near Muscat, the only other known population being from Kenya. In addition, the starfish Ferdina sadhensis was photographed life for the first time. Several specimens (2 holothuroids, 2 asteroids 3 crinoids and 1 echinoid), some quite abundant, could not be attributed to known species. We observed a significant shift in echinoderm community structure at Ras-Al-Hadd as a result of either major shift in environmental forcing factors or as a result of limited dispersal of species across this “bio-geographic barrier”.