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New Distributional Record of Twelve Scleractinian Corals from Saint Martin’s Island, Bangladesh

Kazi Ahsan Habib*
Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Science, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh

Md. Jayedul Islam
Aquatic Bioresource Research Lab (ABR Lab.), Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Science, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Saint Martin's Island is the only island in Bangladesh where coral communities are found. An expedition on marine biodiversity monitoring of Saint Martin’s Island through underwater visual census method was carried out from December 2017 to March 2018. In this study, a total of 25 scleractinian coral species of 8 families and 14 genera were identified, of which 12 species, Dipsastraea lizardensis, Dipsastraea maritima, Dipsastraea veroni, Favites acuticollis, Favites melicerum, Favites pentagona, Goniastrea stelligera, Goniopora albiconus, Goniopora norfolkensis, Pavona clavus, Plesiastrea versipora, and Psammocora exesa were recorded for the first time in Bangladeshi marine water. These new records exemplify gaps in sampling and recording of coral species in Bangladesh, and suggest the need of extensive research on coral ecosystem in the country. Assessment of different valid reports and publications including the present study revealed that a total of 98 species of hard corals of 18 families and 37 genera have been reported until now in Saint Martin’s Island as well as Bangladesh.

Keywords: The Bay of Bengal, Hard Coral, First Report, Saint Martin’s Island

Location: Saint Martin’s Island, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-12-2017

End Date: 00-03-2018

Program Area: Resource Development and Management

Commodity: Corals

Objectives:

However, there is no in-depth study on coral species diversity of the St. Martin’s Island except the study of Tomascik (1997) where a total of 65 species were identified. Afterward, few more studies were conducted sporadically by some researchers. In this study, we have identified 12 species of scleractinian corals for the first time in Bangladeshi water through underwater survey.

Methodology:

An inventory of the undiscovered coral organisms of St. martin`s Island was made during an expedition on underwater biodiversity monitoring from December 2017 to March 2018 by Aquatic Bio-resource Research Lab. (ABR Lab.), Department of Fisheries Biology and Genetics, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. The surveys were conducted at four sites of Saint Martin’s Island viz., Site 1: Ferry Ghat (20°37'56.4"N, 92°19'46.6"E), Site 2: Infront of Bangladesh Coast Guard camp (20°37'31.4"N, 92°19'50.9"E), Site 3: West side of Chera Dwip (20°35'23.99"N, 92°20'20.06"E) and Site 4: East side of Chera Dwip (20°34'52.3"N, 92°20'29.8"E). The surveys were conducted using underwater survey methods followed by DeVantier et al. (2000), Donnelly et al. (2003), and Hill & Wilkinson (2004). The sites were accessed by medium sized patrol fiberboats. At each site, the coral communities and colonies were surveyed using SCUBA by meandering swim where the reef slope fall away to 3-10 m. The depth ranges were selected based on the primary investigation surveys conducted at the beginning of the present study and previous study of Tomascik (1997). Each swim was of about 40-80 minutes’ duration in each depth range and 70-100m around the study site.

St. Martin Island is the only islet in Bangladesh where coral colonies are found and the island is located at the southernmost tip of Bangladesh in the northern Bay of Bengal (Coordinates: 20°34'–20°39' N and 92°18'–92°21' E) separated from the mainland by a channel of about 9 km wide. The observed coral species were identified based on the morphological features from the taken photographs following Veron (2000). We have used the recent valid species name according to Worms Editorial Board 2020. The photographs are deposited in the Aquatic Bio-resource Research Lab.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Zool. 49 (1): 03-18, 2021 ISSN: 0304-9027 eISSN: 2408-8455

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjz.v49i1.53678

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Present survey was conducted to assess the present status of species diversity of Scleractinian coral of Saint Martin’s Island with underwater observation through scuba diving. However, the survey period of only 4 months along with limited survey area were not enough to make a conclusive inventory of corals. In our survey, we have identified 25 species of hard corals where 12 species were the new addition in the country’s coral inventory. We have reviewed different valid reports and publications including the present study to make a depiction about species diversity in St. Martin’s Island as well as Bangladesh which revealed that a total of 98 species of hard corals of 18 families and 37 genera have been reported in the country until now. Discovery of new records within a short period of survey in our study indicates that more species could be present in the St. Martin’s Island. Therefore, in-depth study on coral ecosystem and associated species diversity of the St. Martin’s Island is needed to make a proper management plan to protect this resourceful island.

Coral ecosystems are great in danger throughout the world because of different anthropogenic and natural factors such as climate change, overfishing, marine pollution, unplanned tourism, plastic pollution, etc. Likewise, the biodiversity, as well as coral fauna of St. Martin Island, has also been decreased over last few decades. A total area of 0.9342 sq. km of coral colonies disappeared from 1980 to 2018 and anthropogenic factors are affecting more for coral degradation of St. Martin’s Island than the natural factors. Unplanned tourism, extraction and selling of coral stones for showcasing, coastal erosion, damaging due to boat anchoring, sedimentation, entangled and covering of coral surfaces by ghost nets, oil spillage from boats and motels, plastic pollutions etc. were identified as the anthropogenic factors causing coral degradation and hampering the natural processes in the island. St. Martin’s Island was declared an Ecologically Critical Area in 1999 under Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act. It is urgently needed to delineate the ecosystem boundary of St. Martin’s Island and properly assess the present status of biodiversity within this area. Based on these findings along with relevant surveys, it is needed to immediately declare the island as marine protected area (MPA) to protect this natural treasure of Bangladesh.

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