LAUSR

Abstract The abundance and distribution pattern of zoantharians (class Anthozoa; order Zoantharia) was investigated in the intertidal zone of Hormuz Island (Persian Gulf). Sampling and data recording were randomly conducted every 3 months from autumn 2011 to summer 2012 at five stations using the belt transect method by grid quadrate, parallel to the coastline. The abundance of the two identified species, viz. Zoanthus sansibaricus and Palythoa aff. mutuki, significantly varied among the stations and between the zones (p 0.05). The highest abundance of Z. sansibaricus was found at station 2 (73.85% ± 1.98%) and for P. aff. mutuki at station 1 (1.96% ± 0.44%), while the lowest abundance of Z. sansibaricus was recorded at station 1 (14.76% ± 0.93%). Also, no sample of P. aff. mutuki was observed at stations 2 and 3. The cluster analysis of the abundance at different stations using the Bray–Curtis matrix distinguished two groups by 72.5% similarity, the first group in stations 1 and the second group in stations 2, 3, 4 and 5. Based on 97.25% similarity, seasons were divided into two groups, the first group in autumn, winter, and spring and the second group in summer. The PERMANOVA test showed that the combination of station and zone had a significant effect. The Spearman correlation test indicated that none of the environmental factors, viz. dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity and pH had a meaningful impact on the distribution and abundance of zoantharians in different seasons, stations and zones.