Five Bivalve Species from the Recently Discovered Coral Reef in the Marine Coastal Waters of Iraq

Abstract

In the present report five bivalve species are newly recorded from the recently discovered coral reef in the coastal waters of Iraq, North West Arabian Gulf. The bivalves were inhabit a hard coral substratum as well as sand and mud substrata, at depth ranging from 7-10 m. The region is characterized by high temperature subtropical climate (temperature range: 14-34 C˚). The identified mulluscan bivalves namely Chlamys livida, Pinna bicolor, Malvifundus normalis, Barbatia decussate, and Lithophaga robusta. All the present specimens bivalves were living animals and they classified according to morphological characteristics. Specimens were deposited at the Genetic Legacy Laboratory and Museum of the Marine Science Center/ University of Basrah.