Faunistic study of benthic Pennatulacea (Cnidaria, Octocorallia) from the Northern coast of Egypt

Using a trawling net, samples of order Pennatulacea (Sea pens) were collected from the northern coast of Egypt. The current work aims to establish taxonomical data about this distinctive group of animals that dwell in the Egyptian Mediterranean waters. The current study presents 3 species namely; Cavernularia pusilla (Philippi, 1835), Pennatula rubra Ellis, 1764, and Pteroeides spinosum (Ellis, 1764). The first one pertains to the family of Veretillidae which belongs to the suborder Sessiliflorae; while the other two species affiliate to two families (Pennatulidae and Pteroeididae) which belong to the suborder Subselliflorae. The present records are the first from the Egyptian Mediterranean waters. A re-description supplied with full structural illustrations of the recorded species is given.