Bryozoa from northern Red Sea, Egypt: 1 Crisia (Cyclostomata)

Abstract

Seventy-five bryozoan species were picked from shallow bottom sediments (0–33 m depths) at five sites in the northern Red Sea: El Fanader, Hurghada Harbour, Makkadi Bay, Al Qweh Lagoon and El-Humrawen. Crisia specimens (Cyclostomata) are common and exhibit different variations. Six species were recognised among the specimens collected: Crisia eburnea (Linnaeus), Crisia elongata (Milne-Edwards), Crisia hornesi Reuss, Crisia sertularoides (Audouin), Crisia tenuis MacGillivray and Crisia hurghadaensis n. sp. The present paper deals with these Crisia species; other bryozoan taxa recovered will be published later. Biogeographic study reveals that three of these species are cosmopolitan, and represented by common to abundant occurrences (C. elongata, C. eburnea and C. hornesi). Two species are local endemics, and represented by only rare occurrences (C. sertularoides and C. hurghadaensis n. sp.). One species (C. tenuis) is Indo-Pacific, and is recorded here for the first time in equatorial waters.

Keywords:

• bryozoa
• northern Red Sea
• Cyclostomata
• Crisia

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully thank N. Saber (Zagazig University) for help in specimen picking and identification, and R. Cuffey (Pennsylvania State University) for editorial assistance.

Notes

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