Exploring Sheraoh Island at South-Eastern Qatar: First Distributional Records of Some Inland and Offshore Biota with Annotated Checklist

Abstract

Sheraoh island is the most remote among Qatari islands, nearly 73.5 km south-eastern of the mainland of the peninsula. In March 2010, a preliminary general survey of the species was conducted. Observations were made partly by wading and snorkeling in the intertidal zone and partly by surveying the inland habitats. In total the 31 species were recorded, 4 species of halophyte plants: Halopeplis perfoliata, Suaeda vermiculata, Salsola baryosoma and Zygophyllum qatarense, one unexpected terrestrial mammal: the cape hare Lepus capensis, 2 species of visiting birds: Motacilla flava and Anthus campestus and one species of sea bird. Phalacrocorax nigrogularis, one dolphin species: Sousa chinensis. The largest richness was found in the marine habitats, 3 species of sea weeds: Colpomenia sinusa, Padina boergesenii and Sargassum boveanum, 3 species of corals: Anomastraea irregularis, Platygyra lamellina and Porites harrisoni, 2 species of nudibranchs: Chromodoris cazae and Chromodoris sp. (unidentified)., 4 crab species: Hermit crab (unidentified), Etisus laevimanus, Grapsus albolineatus and Lambrus prensor, 4 species of echinoderms: Pentacentral mammillatus, Ophiothela venusta, Diadema setosum and Echinometra mathaei, 5 species of bony fish: Doryrhamphus sp. (larva), Cypserulus oligolepis, Lethrinus nebulosus, Cephalopholis miniatus and Hemiramphus marginatus, one species of sea snakes: Hydrophis sp. The most striking result is to collect an unknown nudibranch species and to report the cape hare which is unexpected inhabitant. All figures of this study are published for the first time in Qatar.