176New Discoveries Regarding the Benthic Marine Algal Flora of the Sultanate of Oman

Intensive littoral and sublittoral collecting on the monsoon-impacted rocky shores of southern Oman, made at the end of the summertime monsoon (Sept. 2000 and Sept. 2001), has produced a remarkably high number of undescribed taxa and new records for this region of the Northern Arabian Sea. Taxa to be discussed in this presentation include: a new species of Centroceras that reaches 60 cm in height, is heavily corticated, has distinctively secund branching, and occurs well into the 'supralittoral fringe'; a new species of Jolyna , which is often branched, is not as long or thick as the more common J. laminarioides , has ascocysts but lacks hair tufts, and also occurs in the supralittoral; a Turbinaria (T. foliosa) that has the least modified blades known in the genus; a remarkably robust and erect species of Leveillea ; and an undescribed Gelidium , which has previously passed under the name of ' Suhria vittata '. A complicated picture has emerged that shows this flora to have biogeographical affinities with pantropical and subtropical regions, the tropical-subtropical Indo-Pacific, South Africa, temperate Europe and the Mediterrranean, Japan, as well as revealing components that are characteristic of the Arabian Sea monsoon season and apparent endemics restricted to Oman. This research (the Algal Biodiversity Project of Oman) has been funded by the British Government's Darwin's Initiative grant for the 'Survival of Species' and managed by HTS Development, Ltd., of the U.K.