Records of Marine Interstitial Hymenostomatid Ciliates from the Jubail Marine Wildlife Sanctuary, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Sediment samples were collected at low tide from various localities of Jubail Marine Wildlife Sanctuary in the Arabian Gulf during 1996-1997 for the study of the marine interstitial ciliate fauna of the Sanctuary. Eleven species belonging to the genus Frontonia (Order: Hymenostomatida) were identified, 7 of which represent new records of the fauna of the Arabian Gulf and of Saudi Arabia. The distribution of each species was compared to those in similar habitats worldwide .