Payame Noor University Experimental animal Biology 2322-2387 9 2 2020 10 22 Report of coral-associated bryozoan ‎Celleporaria pigmentaria from coral ‎communities of Abu-Musa and Sirri ‎islands, Persian Gulf Report of coral-associated bryozoan ‎Celleporaria pigmentaria from coral ‎communities of Abu-Musa and Sirri ‎islands, Persian Gulf 107 111 7181 10.30473/eab.2019.46524.1712 FA Parisa Alidoost Salimi Instructor, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, ‎Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, ‎Tehran, Iran ‎ Pargol Ghavam Mostafavi Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, ‎Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, ‎Tehran, Iran ‎ Allen Chen Associate Professor, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia ‎Sinica, Nangang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan Seyed Mohammad Reza Fatemi Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resources and ‎Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad ‎University, Tehran, Iran ‎ Journal Article 2019 05 27 Bryozoans are known as one of the coral-associated and cryptic fauna that plays an important role in sediment stabilization and contributes to framework-building species same as corals. However, little is known about bryozoan species occurring in the coral communities of Iranian islands. During a coral survey in Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands, Celleporaria pigmentaria was observed on some dead parts of Porites harrisoni and coralline red algae at depth of 3-8m. After sampling, specimens were bleached and were examined under a stereomicroscope and SEM. Specimens were identified to the species level based on skeleton and morphological traits according to available taxonomic guide. This species is one of the common and successful coral-associated bryozoan that belongs to Cheilostomatida. The C. pigmentaria easily recognized with black encrusting colonies, white blotches scattered over the colony surface as well as the non-uniform arrangement of its zooecia. This case study is the first report of C. pigmentaria in coral communities of Iran. Bryozoans are known as one of the coral-associated and cryptic fauna that plays an important role in sediment stabilization and contributes to framework-building species same as corals. However, little is known about bryozoan species occurring in the coral communities of Iranian islands. During a coral survey in Abu-Musa and Sirri Islands, Celleporaria pigmentaria was observed on some dead parts of Porites harrisoni and coralline red algae at depth of 3-8m. After sampling, specimens were bleached and were examined under a stereomicroscope and SEM. Specimens were identified to the species level based on skeleton and morphological traits according to available taxonomic guide. This species is one of the common and successful coral-associated bryozoan that belongs to Cheilostomatida. The C. pigmentaria easily recognized with black encrusting colonies, white blotches scattered over the colony surface as well as the non-uniform arrangement of its zooecia. This case study is the first report of C. pigmentaria in coral communities of Iran.

https://eab.journals.pnu.ac.ir/article_7181_43ed05eeb87561b045698cf61eebb8e4.pdf