First record and range extension of the transversely-dividing azooxanthellate coral Truncatoflabellum mortenseni Cairns and Zibrowius, 1997 (Scleractinia, Flabellidae) in the Persian Gulf, Western Indo-Pacific Ocean

Abstract

In the Persian Gulf, Azooxanthellate Scleractinia remain understudied compared to their symbiotic counterparts. Here, we report the presence of azooxanthellate coral Truncatoflabellum mortenseni (Cairns & Zibrowius, 1997) for the first time in Iranian deep waters. This species was found on soft sediments at depths of 83 and 101 m. Given this report, the distribution range of T. mortenseni, previously known to exist only in the Indonesian-Philippine regions, is now expanded to the Persian Gulf.