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This is to report coral bleaching in the Saudi Arabian reefs at the Arabian
Gulf. Five coral reefs were visited from August 16 to 20, 1998.
There is widespread bleaching of corals in four patch reefs (seawater temperature
35.2-35.9°C). Very high mortality (about 95%) in <I>Acropora</I>
was observed. Thin layer of brown filamentous algae already covers
<I>Porites</I>, <I>Acropora</I> and <I>Platygyra</I>.
<BR>Coral bleaching is minimal at the offshore island reef (seawater temperature
33.7°C). Bleached corals are <I>Pocillopora</I>, <I>Acropora</I>,
<I>Porites</I> and <I>Platygyra</I>.
<P>REYNALDO LINDO
<BR>Center for Environment and Water
<BR>Research Institute
<BR>King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
<BR>Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
<BR>Email: rlindo@kfupm.edu.sa
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