A record of live corals along the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, Arabian Sea

Abstract

The occurrence of live corals along the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat was recorded. Five species of corals, viz. Gorgonium sp., Polycyathus verrilli, Porites lutea, Tubastrea aurea and Turbinaria crater were recorded from four different places along this coast. The mean numerical density of polyps comprising all species ranged from 53 to 500/m and their biomass 195 to 1000 g/m 2 . Among the different physico-chemical parameters of sea water analysed from the study area, the total suspended solids steadily increased from Dwarka to Mahuva. It registered 305 mg/l for the former and 763 mg/l for the latter respectively. The concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons showed higher value (23.28 μg/l) at Veraval and lower value (9.38 μg/l) at Mahuva. The primary and secondary productivities of the coastal waters from the study region were also estimated. The phytoplankton cell count ranged from 14.59 × 10 2 /l at Mahuva to 75.8 x 10 2 /l at Diu, whereas zooplankton numerical density varied between 7288 and 15,600/100 m 3 at Dwarka and Diu respectively. Coral-associated macrobenthic fauna from the Saurashtra coast were predominantly predatory gastropods, which may cause severe pressure to these coral communities. This study suggests the possibility for the existence of coral reefs along the sub-tidal region of this coast.