In grave concern facing the dangers to biodiversity, this guide is an effort to identify and show the many coral species of the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Eilat), an endangered habitat. Coral identification is no simple task: the same coral colony and polyps change their appearance in different wave regimes, in various light intensities, and is strongly influenced by many local micro environmental element in its habitat.
Many coral species are endemic to the Red Sea. On the other hand, many of the gulf's coral species are found in other parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean system, and show geographical variance. One page shows "pseudo-corals" i.e., "reefs" formed by calcareus algae and colonial non-cnidarian animals, such as worms, crustaceans, molluscs etc.
In the first pages, corals are grouped by gross morphology, to demonstrate the difference between solitary and multi-polyp corals, bushy, massive, or prostrate colonies. Next, Hexacorallian and Octocorallian species, grouped by family and genus. We try, if possible, to show pictures of an entire colony in situ, of living polyps and finally of bare clean skeleton.
Most pictures were taken in the Northern Red Sea or the Gulf of Aqaba. A comprehensive list of recorded coral species is found in the "content" page