Littoral fauna of the Red Sea: the population of non-scleractinian anthozoans of shallow waters of the Red Sea (Eilat)

Approximately 22 species of sea anemones and 20 species of alcyonarians were found on the reef fringing the shallow water at Eilat (Gulf of Aqaba) and other localities along the Red Sea coast of the Sinai Peninsula. Investigations showed that these 2 groups of non-scleractinian coelenterates from (on different substrates) well identified colonies, part of them inhabiting sandy bottoms, other groups growing on the reef surface. Observations lead to the conclusion that several of the sea anemones and alcyonarians can act, under certain conditions, as factors limiting the development of hermatypic corals. In some areas, several species of the 2 groups of animals are found together with their symbiotic partners, such as fishes and crustaceans.This research has been sponsored partly by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution, No. SFC-7-0074 to L. B. Slobodkin (N. Y.) and L. Fishelson (T.-A.).