Population Density, Distribution, and Species Composition of Sea Cucumbers in Pagasinan Tidal Flat, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

This study investigated the population density, distribution, and species composition of sea cucumbers in Pagasinan Tidal Flat, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. Sea cucumbers were collected in the night along the tidal flat and by snorkeling along the reef area. The study recorded seven species belonging to genera Holothuria (five species), Bohadschia (one species), and Stichopus (one species). The population densities ranged from 0.09 ± 0.5 to 3.85 ± 1.67 individuals per 100 m2 each with varying habitat preferences.

Exceptionally preserved calcified sponge assemblagesin Upper Jurassic carbonates of the eastern Getic Carbonate Platform (Southern Carpathians, Romania)

A rich poriferan assemblage was identified within the easternmost part of the Getic Carbonate Platform of Romania (Grădiștei Gorges). The excellent preservation state of most poriferans here led to the discovery of a new species (Neuropora gigantea Pleș & Schlagintweit, n. sp.) and to the identification of previously unknown diagnostic features in some species (Sarsteinia babai Schlagintweit & Gawlick, 2006 emend., Neuropora lusitanica Termier, 1985, Sphaeractinia steinmanni Canavari, 1893). Calciagglutispongia yabei Reitner, 1992, Sarsteinia babai and Sphaeractinia steinmanni are reported for the first time from the Upper Jurassic carbonates of the Getic Carbonate Platform. The sedimentary input fluctuations and the nutrient competition had an important role in understanding the morphological adaptations of the analysed species. The existing palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental conditions generated different distribution patterns towards the reef profile and also preferential adaptations to a specific Tethyan domain. As opposed to the poriferan assemblages from the northern Tethyan shelves, these organisms formed sponge-coral-microencruster boundstones at the margins and fore-reefal zones of isolated carbonate platforms within the intra-Tethyan realm. The importance of calcified sponges in reef-zonation is highlighted by the establishment of a general zonation model. Three zones can be distinguished: 1) Cladocoropsis-Milleporidium zone (back-reef area); 2) Bauneia-Chaetetopsis-Parastromatopora zone (central reef area); and 3) Sphaeractinia/Ellipsactinia-Neuropora zone for the fore-reef area. In the absence of a true reef framework these calcified sponges developed typical morphologies, environmental adaptations and partnerships with other biotic groups which strongly influenced the carbonate production throughout the intra-Tethyan domain.

A Study of Fauna Assemblages and Their Relation to the Sediment Accumulation in the Coral Reef Area, NW of the Arabian Gulf

The discovery of coral reefs in Iraqi marine waters is a new event in 2012 and it covers an area of approximately 28 km2 at the southern end of Khor Al-Amia. A team of divers from the German Freiburg Institute for Mining and Technology and Marine Science Center at the University of Basra were able to find coral reefs in the NW part of the Arabian Gulf. The aim of this article is to study fauna assemblages and try to understand the relationship between the accumulation of sediments and fauna assemblages in the Coral Reef area NW of the Arabian Gulf, southern of Iraq. Four surface samples of sediments of the area were studied and determined the relationship between the types of texture and the amount of fauna and shell fragments. Mollusca was chosen from among the existing groups of fauna due to the great number of species and large sizes, also Bryozoa studied in the region. The sand texture is predominant in the sediments of the area and the sand ratio was between 55-97% most of their grains are fine and round. The sediments of the region were distinguished by a high percentage of shells between 24–69% from the total percentage of sand. The phenomenon of multiple colors of sand and fauna revealed this due to the presence of minerals and oxides, impurities and pollution in the region, and genetic factors concerning fauna. Many species were diagnosed in the sediments of the region, reaching 62 species of Mollusca and Bryozoa. Mollusca is classified into three types (Gastropod, Pelecypoda and Scaphopoda). Some species were recorded for the first time in the region such as Japonactaeonpusillus, Cylichna cylindracea and Cuna majeeda.

The Sedimentology of the Late Campanian–Maastrichtian Sequence, Southwestern Iraq

Petrography, diagenesis, and facies analyses as well as the depositional environments of the late Campanian-Maastrichtian sequence in southwestern Iraq are studied in five keyholes. The sequence incorporates parts of the Hartha, Shiranish and Tayarat Formations. The Hartha Formation comprises creamy and organodetrital dolomite, grey dolomitic marl, and evaporites. The Shiranish Formation is composed of grey marl and claystone, whereas the Tayarat Formation is composed of grey ash, along with tough and fossiliferous dolomitic limestone inter-bedded with grey mudstone layers and/or wisps. Several diagenetic processes affected the sequence, such as neomorphic replacement, dissolution, dolomitization, and sulphate development. Some of these processes obliterated the primary textures. The late Campanian-Maastrichtian sequence consists of three microfacies (Dolomitic Intraclastic Limestone, Dolomitized Biomicrite, and Biomicrosparite Microfacies) and two lithofacies (Mudrock and Sulphates-Rock Lithofacies), in addition to Fine- to Medium-Crystalline Dolomite Lithotype. The Hartha Formation is evaporitic, possibly with supratidal sabkha deposits. The overlying Tayarat and Shiranish Formations reflect deposition in a warm tropical to subtropical reefal and open marine conditions, as deduced from faunal assemblages. Some effects of deep marine condition are evident by the presence of Shiranish facies. The sequence represents deposition in the central reef- fore reef area. The absence of isolated back-reef lagoon facies suggests that the reef was patchy without isolation of water in the middle shelf region. However, at the top of the sequence, i.e. at the end of the Cretaceous Period, restricted lagoons seem to have dominated the studied succession.

New distributional record of oblique-banded grouper, Epinephelus radiatus (Day, 1868) from the St. Martin Island, Bangladesh

Groupers are mostly found in the reef-associated marine habitat, of which some are pelagic and others are demersal. Recently, a grouper species called Oblique-banded grouper, Epinephelus radiatus (Day, 1868) was newly reported while conducting research work on the availability of reef-associated fishes in St. Martin Island. This species had never been reported to occur not only from this coral reef area but also from the water area of Bangladesh. E. radiatus was easily identified following morphological traits, especially color pattern. The findings of the present study added new distributional range for this grouper species from Bangladeshi water.

First report of reef formation from the Balkanide type of Triassic: the Tran Formation (Upper Triassic) near the village of Gorna Sekirna, SW Bulgaria

Sphinctozoa skeletons were the main builders in microbial-sponge boundstones and cementstones. Syndepositional lithification of associated automicrite and marine phreatic cementation by radial fibrous and radiaxial calcite favored stabilization and growth of skeleton-cement reefs across a central reef area (close to a platform margin), but without forming a wave-resistant reef framework. Storm-influenced destruction of the buildups and subsequent reworking by waves and currents produced bioclastic-intraclastic grainstones.