Coastal Marine Environment
The Qatari peninsula is a unique country, where the arid desert of the 11,581-km2-mainland phases into a 563-km-coastline washed by the waters of the Arabian Gulf, on a bathymetric scale ranging from 0 m to about a depth of 60 m.
Seawaters, in shallow depths, can be very hot (>50 °C) and very salty (>250 ppt) when compared to seas in temperate climates, making the Arabian Gulf the hottest and saltiest open sea in the world.
These extreme conditions work hand in hand to create diverse types of ecosystems that paint the waters from bright turquoise to deep blue, and the coast from brown to green. A myriad of living organisms are hosted there, both resident and migratory, including Dugongs and Whale Sharks, Flamingos and Cormorants, crabs, seagrasses and microbial marine mats. These have in common a set of behavioral and physiological adaptations to life in the ever-changing coastal and marine environment.
On a bathymetric transect, usually, sabkha salt flats and sandy and rocky beaches line the coast, followed by the intertidal and subtidal zones, mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs and finally the off-shore open Gulf.
Of course, the boundaries of these ecosystems are not squarely delineated, and thus, often one ecosystem engulfs the other or patches of an ecosystem are found within another.
© A. D. Chatziefthimiou
Sources:
Basson PW et al, 1977
Batanouny KH, 1981
Barth J-H and Böer B, 2002
Sale P et al, 2011
Sheppard C et al, 2009
Cormorant, Great
Phalacrocorax carbo
Crake, Little
Porzana parva
Duck, Marbled
Marmaronetta angustirostris
Goose, Cotton Pygmy
Nettapus coromandelianus
Goose, Egyptian
Alopochen aegyptiaca
Gull, Steppe
Larus barabensis
Pochard, Common
Aythya ferina
Pochard, Red-crested
Netta rufina
Shelduck, Common
Tadorna tadorna
Shoveler, Northern
Anas clypeata
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
Flamingo, Greater
Phoenicopterus roseus
Grebe, Black-necked
Podiceps nigricollis
Gull, Caspian
Larus cachinnas
Gull, Slender-billed
Chroicocephalus genei
Heron, Goliath
Ardea goliath
Kingfisher, White-throated
Halcyon smyrensis
Lapwing, Sociable
Vanellus gregarius
Oystercatcher, Eurasian
Haematopus ostralegus
Pelican, Great White
Pelecanus onocrotalus
Plover, Lesser Sand
Charadrius mongolus
Redshank, Common
Tringa totanus
Sandpiper, Green
Tringa ochropus
Skua, Long-tailed
Stercorarius longicaudus
Swan, Whooper
Cygnus cygnus
Teal, Eurasian
Anas crecca
Tropicbird, Red-billed
Phaethon aethereus
Curlew, Eurasian
Numenius arquata
Grebe, Little
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Gull. Heuglin’s
Larus heuglini
Kingfisher, Common
Alcedo atthis
Plover, Pacific Golden
Pluvialis fulva
Sandpiper, Curlew
Calidris ferruginea
Sandpiper, Marsh
Tringa stagnatilis
Skua, Pomarine
Stercorarius pomarinus
Stint, Little
Calidris minuta
Tern, Caspian
Hydroprogne caspia
Garganey
Anas querquedula
Grebe, Great Crested
Podiceps cristatus
Gull, Common Black-headed
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Gull. Sooty
Larus hemprichii
Heron, Black-crowned Night
Nycticorax nycticorax
Kingfisher, Pied
Ceryle rudis
Lapwing, Spur-winged
Vanellus spinosus
Stint, Temminck’s
Calidris temminckii
Tern, Swift
Sterna bergii
Bittern, Eurasian
Botaurus stellaris
Gull, Armenian
Larus armenicus
Lapwing, Red-wattled
Vanellus indicus
Plover, Crab
Dromas ardeola
Sanderling
Calidris alba
Sandpiper, Terek
Xenus cinereus
Turnstone, Ruddy
Arenaria interpres
Bittern, Little
Ixobrychus minutus
Knot, Great
Calidris tenuirostris
Lapwing, Northern
Vanellus vanellus
Plover, Common Ringed
Charadrius hiaticula
Plover, Eurasian Golden
Pluvialis apricaria
Sandpiper, Wood
Tringa glareola
Greenshank, Common
Tringa nebularia
Lapwing, White-tailed
Vanellus leucurus
Rail, Water
Rallus aquaticus
Redshank, Spotted
Tringa erythropus
Dotterel, Eurasian
Charadrius morinellus
Egret, Little
Egrets and Heronsta garzetta
Ruff
Philomachus pugnax
Skua, Arctic
Stercorarius parasiticus
Heron, Grey
Ardea cinerea
Plover, Caspian
Charadrius asiaticus
Plover, Greater Sand
Charadrius leschenaultii
Sandpiper, Common
Actitis hypoleucos
Spoonbill, Eurasian
Platalea leucorodia
Heron, Striated
Butorides striata
Plover, Grey
Pluvialis squatarola
Plover, Little Ringed
Charadrius dubius
Heron, Squacco
Ardeola ralloides
Plover, Kentish
Charadrius alexandrinus
Sandpiper, Broad-billed
Limicola falcinellus
Godwit, Bar-tailed
Limosa lapponica
Goose. Greater White-fronted
Anser albifrons
Heron, Purple
Ardea purpurea
Heron, Western Reef
Egrets and Heronsta gularis
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Tern, Sandwich
Sterna sandvicensis
Coot, Eurasian
Fulica atra
Tern, Common
Sterna hirundo
Pintail, Northern
Anas acuta
Wigeon, Eurasian
Anas penelope
Jacana, Pheasant-tailed
Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Godwit, Black-tailed
Limosa limosa
Tern, Bridled
Onychoprion anaethetus
Corncrake
Crex crex
Phalarope, Red-necked
Phalaropus lobatus
Tern, Lesser-crested
Sterna bengalensis
Tern, Whiskered
Chlidonias hybrida
Swamphen, African
Porphyrio madagscariensis
Tern, Saunder’s
Sternula (albifrons) saudersi
Duck, Tufted
Aythya fuligula
Tern, Little
Sterna albifrons
Stilt, Black-winged
Himantopous himantopus
Waterhen, White-breasted
Amaurornis phoenicurus
Duck, Ferruginous
Aythya nyroca
Gull, Baltic
Larus fuscus fuscus
Shelduck, Ruddy
Tadorna ferruginea
Cormorant, Socotra
Phalacrocorax nigrogularis
Swamphen, Purple
Porphyrio porphyrio
Tern, White-cheeked
Sterna repressa
Tern, White-winged
Orychoprion leucopterus
Gull, Great Black-headed
Larus ichthyaetus
Gadwall
Anas strepera
Tern, Gull-billed
Gelochelidon nilotica
Crake, Spotted
Porzana porzana
Bayonet Grass
Bolboschoenus maritimus
Julman
Suaeda aegyptiaca
Khurreyz, Khurreyza
Halopeplis perfoliata
Orache
Atriplex leucoclada
Qalam,Ajram
Arthrocnemum macrostachyum
Round leafed Rothe
Salsola drummondii
Sea Lavender
Limonium axillare
Thanda
Cyperus conglomeratus
Black Mulberry
Morus nigra
Desert Hyacinth
Cistanche tubulosa
Glasswort
Salicornia europaea
Hadh
Cornulaca aucheri
Harriet
Salsola imbricata
Jiljilan
Savignya parviflora
Lesser Centaury
Centaurium pulchellum
Louts
Lotus garcinii
Rukbah
Cyperus jeminicus
Sakham
Sporobolus ioclados
Stoneseed
Echiochilon jugatum
Swied
Suaeda vermiculata
Tarteer
Salsola schweinfurthii
Thailoth
Halocnemum strobilaceum
Thalj, (salj)
Cornulaca monacantha
Broadleaf Seagrass
Halophila stipulacea
Paddle Weed
Halophila ovalis
Seagrass
Diplanthera uninervis
Turnsole
Heliotropium bacciferum
Mangrove, Qaram, Showra.
Avicennia marina
Ndeewa
Cressa cretica
Desert Thumb
Cynomorium coccineum
Diadema setosum
Diadema setosum
Doriopsilla nigrocera
Doriopsilla nigrocera
Eurycarcinus orientalis
Eurycarcinus orientalis
Grapsus albolineatus
Grapsus albolineatus
Tubastrea coccinea
Tubastrea coccinea
Indo-Pacific Sergeant
Abudefduf vaigiensis
Narrowbanded Spanish Mackerel
Scomberomorus commerson
Goniobranchus annulatus
Goniobranchus annulatus
Thenus orientalis
Thenus orientalis
Teira
Platax teira
Stichopus herrmanni
Stichopus herrmanni
Acropora
Pegasus volitans
Euretaster cribrosus
Euretaster cribrosus
Sabellastarte spectabilis
Sabellastarte spectabilis
Finless Sole
Pardachirus marmoratus
Pearly Goatfish
Upeneus oligospilus
Entacmaea quadricolor
Entacmaea quadricolor
Portunus segnis
Portunus (Portunus) segnis
Hound Needlefish
Tylosurus crocodilus
Smallscale Sandperch
Parapercis robinsoni
Hydrophis lapemoides
Hydrophis lapemoides
Platygyra daedalea
Platygyra daedalea
Double-ended Pipefish
Trachyrhamphus bicoarctatus
Conus textile
Conus textile
Peronia peronii
Peronia peronii
Snubnose Pompano
Trachinotus blochii
Clypeaster humilis
Clypeaster humilis
Pentaceraster mammillatus
Pentaceraster mammillatus
Blackspot Snapper
Lutjanus fulviflamma
Marbled Electric Ray
Torpedo sinuspersici
Slender Weasel Shark
Paragaleus randalli
Chelonia mydas
Chelonia mydas
Pelamis platura
Pelamis platura
Jarbua Terapon
Terapon jarbua
Mangrove Red Snapper
Lutjanus argentimaculatus
Carpilius convexus
Carpilius convexus
Panulirus versicolor
Panulirus versicolor
Ribbontail Stingray
Taeniura lymma
Spangled Emperor
Lethrinus nebulosus
Amphibalanus amphitrite
Amphibalanus amphitrite
Ocypode rotundata
Ocypode rotundata
Smalltooth Emperor
Lethrinus microdon
Zebra Shark
Stegostoma fasciatum
Acropora arabensis
Acropora arabensis
Murex scolopax
Murex scolopax
Cleaner Wrasse
Labroides dimidiatus
Sawtooth Barracuda
Sphyraena putnamae
Slender Sunfish
Ranzania laevis
Macrophthalmus depressus
Macrophthalmus (Mareotis) depressus
Bowmouth Guitarfish
Rhina ancyclostoma
Decorated Goby
Istigobius decoratus
White-spotted Spinefoot
Siganus canaliculatus
Lunella coronata
Lunella coronata
Common Seahorse
Hippocampus kuda
Indian Mackerel
Rastrelliger kanagurta
Linckia guildingi
Linckia guildingi
Reticulated Whipray
Himantura uarnak
Talang Queenfish
Scomberoides commersonnianus
Leiaster leachi
Leiaster leachi
Arabian Monocle Bream
Scolopsis ghanam
Longfin Bannerfish
Heniochus acuminatus
Military Turkeyfish
Pterois miles
Gulf Parrotfish
Scarus persicus
Orange Dottyback
Pseudochromis aldabraensis
Undulated Moray
Gymnothorax undulatus
Holothuria atra
Holothuria atra
Dark Damsel
Pomacentrus aquilus
Golden Trevally
Gnathanodon speciosus
Goldstripe Sardinella
Sardinella gibbosa
Blackspotted Rubberlip
Plectorhinchus gaterinus
Picasso Triggerfish
Rhinecanthus assasi
Whipfin Silver-biddy
Gerres filamentosus
Bartail Flathead
Platycephalus indicus
Orangespotted Grouper
Epinephelus coioides
Striped Eel Catfish
Plotosus lineatus
Whaleshark
Rhincodon typus
Whitespotted Grouper
Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus
Gulf Blenny
Ecsenius pulcher
Helmet Gurnard
Dactyloptena orientalis
Luther’s shrimpgoby
Cryptocentrus lutheri
Flat Toadfish
Colletteichthys dussumieri
Shortbodied Pipefish
Choeroichthys brachysoma
Persian Cardinalfish
Cheilodipterus persicus
Broomtail Wrasse
Cheilinus lunulatus
Milkfish
Chanos chanos
Dark Butterflyfish
Chaetodon nigropunctatus
Blackfin Butterflyfish
Chaetodon melapterus
Yellowfin Hind
Cephalopholis hemistiktos
Blacktip Reef Shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Bull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
Halfspotted Goby
Asterropteryxsemi punctata
Stellate Puffer
Arothron stellatus
Arabian Pupfish
Aphanius dispar
Clark’s anemonefish
Amphiprion clarkii
Tailspot goby
Amblygobius albimaculatus
Ocellated Eagle Ray
Aetobatus ocellatus
Sohal
Acanthurus sohal
Twobar Seabream
Acanthopagrus bifasciatus
Yellowtail Surgeonfish
Zebrasoma xanthurum
Yellowstriped Cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus cyanosoma
Yellowbar Angelfish
Pomacanthus maculosus
