title: The Identification of Octocorals from the Northern Region of Straits of Malacca.
abstract: Coral reefs in the northern region of the Straits of Malacca have a diverse group of octocorals growing on its bed. The octocorals identified in this study are from islands along the Straits. In this study, 23 specimens were identified, belonging to 4 sub-orders, which have been subdivided into 8 families. From these 8 families, 15 different genera have been identified. The identification process for this research was conducted based on five important keys; the external form and colouration, polyps or colonial and fundamental structure of colonies, monomorphic or dimorphic, the arrangement of polyps, and the arrangement of sclerites.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; Centre of Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mahadi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammad
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Zaharatul Naa'imah
authors.initials: ZN
authors.lastname: Apandi
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hana Abdul Wahab
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Marican
authors.affiliation: Centre of Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nadthikphorn
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamphol
authors.affiliation: Centre of Marine and Coastal Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nur Ain Amani Abdul
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Mubin
authors.affiliation: Centre for Policy Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sazlina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salleh
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Parks Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Md Nizam
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Ismail
keywords: Octocorals; Straits of Malacca; Taxonomy