“ Oman has a long coastline in which the marine environment is rich in unique marine genetic resources such as fish, seaweeds, marine mammals, marine molluscs, coral reefs, marine arthropods, Echinodermata, phytoplankton and sea turtles. ”
Fishes
There is a great diversity of fish, with more than 1,200 species recorded in the Omani waters. There are pelagic fish like kingfish and demersal fish such as emperor and grouper, and ornamental fish such as anemones.
Anemones Fish
There are about 3 species of Anemones fish that belong to genus Amphiprionand in Oman. The Oman Anemonefish Amphiprion omanensis is one of the largest and rarest clownfish.
Seaweeds
There are more than 402 species of marine seaweeds in Oman. Seaweeds are a hidden treasure that need for exploring and finding the secrets that lie about these genetic resources where consider as integrated source of food and medicine and a safe way to produce renewable biofuels.
Centroceras secundum
A species of benthic marine red algae (Rhodophyta) , Morbat in Dhofar Gavernate.
Coral reefs
Coral reefs represent safe habitats for the living and reproduction of many living marine organisms. It consider one of the most suitable environments to obtain food and shelter. In Oman there are more than 130 species. Coral reefs components have economic importance and used in industries such as pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry.
Porites species
In shallow water, branching and huge species of Porites cohabitate to form a characteristic community.
Echinodermata
Echinoderms are a main group of only marine animals, which consist of sea star, brittle stars, sea urchins, heart urchins, sanddollars, sea cucumbers, feather stars and sea lilies, which are essential for the marine ecosystem and genetic resources for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
Acanthaster planci
The crown of thorn is a large sea star that preys upon hard coral and destroy the corals when it outbreak.
Sea turtles
Turtles are the oldest marine animals in the world and in Oman there are in five species out of seven found in the world: Loggerhead Turtle, Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle and Leatherback Turtle.
Chelonia mydas
Green turtles are classified as endangered, due to the over-hunting of their eggs, the hunting of adult turtles, their fall into fishing gear, and the loss of their nesting sites on the beaches.
Marine Molluscs
Molluscs are the second largest phylum in invertebrate animals after the phylum of arthropods, and most molluscs are marine molluscs. There are nealy more than 700 species in Oman.
