The
Mediterranean coast of Egypt runs 1200km, from Rafah
on the border with the Gaza Strip to Salum at the
Egyptian-Libyan border.
The flora and fauna of the coastal waters is affected
by the depth of the water and available food sources.
In this zone, unlike the Red Sea, the biodiversity
is relatively low with primary food sources such as
planktonic fauna and flora being limited. However,
fairly extensive meadows of the sea grass Posidonia
oceanica and other species are found together with
some brown algae such as Sargassum spp especially
along the western sector of the coast. Several species
of red and green algae are also found. The sea grasses
are vital as nurseries and sources of food for a variety
of both invertebrates and vertebrates including the
endangered Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), the only
one of the sea turtles that is almost exclusively
vegetarian.
The invertebrate fauna of the southeastern Mediterranean
is also relatively less abundant but includes a variety
of mollusks (the largest group inshore), echinoderms
and polychaetes (the largest group offshore). Other
invertebrates, including sponges, bryozoans, and crustaceans
are also found in this zone. Four species and one
sub-species of commercially important sponges have
been recorded: Spongia officinalis adriatica, S. officinalis
mollissina, S. agarcinia, S. zimocca, and Hippospongia
communis.
Among the vertebrates of this zone there are over
350 species of fish of which about 43 are Indo-Pacific
species that may have migrated through the Suez Canal.
Eight species of marine mammals have been recorded
and additionally, it is highly possible that the rare
Monk Seal (Monachus monachus) may be found, as suitable
habitat for it occurs west of Mersa Matruh and it
is still occasionally found in Libya not far from
the Egyptian border.
Three species of sea turtles are known from the area:
the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), the Loggerhead
Turtle (Caretta caretta), and the Leatherback Turtle
(Dermochelys coriacea). The Green Turtle is recorded
as nesting on the Sinai coast while there are unconfirmed
reports that the Loggerhead nests in the same area.
The Leatherback has not been known to nest in Egyptian
waters and is, indeed, the rarest of the three species.
