Red Sea
The richest underwater World
Red Sea is a direct translation of the Greek Erythra Thalassa.
The name of the sea may signify the seasonal blooms of the red-coloured Trichodesmium erythraeum near the water's surface.
The Red Sea is a rich and diverse ecosystem.
More than 1200 species of fish have been recorded in the Red Sea, and around 10% of these are found nowhere else.
This also includes 42 species of deepwater fish. The rich diversity is in part due to the 2,000 km (1,240 mi) of coral reef extending along its coastline;
these fringing reefs are 5000–7000 years old and are largely formed of stony acropora and porites corals.
The reefs form platforms and sometimes lagoons along the coast and occasional other features such as cylinders (such as the Blue Hole (Red Sea) at Dahab).
These coastal reefs are also visited by pelagic species of Red Sea fish, including some of the 44 species of shark.
Other marine habitats include sea grass beds, salt pans, mangroves and salt marshes.