Table 1 Summary of the 728 octocoral specimens collected and identified for this study and their family and genus taxonomic assignment. For each taxon we report the number of specimens collected (N), the geographical occurrence based on our sampling in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea, and their known bathymetric range (Depth) based on the examined collection. GoA = Gulf of Aqaba; NSA RS = northern Saudi Arabian Red Sea; CSA RS = central Saudi Arabian Red Sea; SSA RS = southern Saudi Arabian Red Sea; * = new record for the Red Sea.

Acanthogorgiidae Gray, 1859

Acanthogorgia Gray, 1857

34

x

x

x

x

16–718

Bebryce Philippi, 1842

10

x

x

x

8–494

Calicogorgia Thomson & Henderson, 1906 *

1

x

135

Echinomuricea Verrill, 1869

1

x

31

Menella Gray, 1870

1

x

38

Muriceides Wright & Studer, 1889

6

x

x

x

x

135–346

Pseudoparacis Matsumoto & van Ofwegen, 2023

1

x

97

Pseudothesea Kükenthal, 1919

6

x

x

x

66–118

Villogorgia Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860

45

x

x

x

x

73–597

Acanthogorgiidae sp.

3

x

x

134–495

Acrossotidae Bourne, 1914 *

Acrossotidae sp. *

4

x

8–24

Anthogorgiidae McFadden, van Ofwegen & Quattrini, 2024

Anthogorgia Verrill, 1868

1

x

88

Aquaumbridae Breedy, van Ofwegen & Vargas, 2012 *

Aquaumbra Breedy, van Ofwegen & Vargas, 2012 *

1

x

115

Astrogorgiidae McFadden, van Ofwegen & Quattrini, 2024

Astrogorgiidae sp.

20

x

x

x

x

100–859

Astrogorgia Verrill, 1868

16

x

x

x

22–118

Carijoidae McFadden, van Ofwegen & Quattrini, 2024 *

Carijoa Müller, 1867 *

1

x

50

Coralliidae Lamouroux, 1812 *

Paraminabea Williams & Alderslade, 1999 *

1

x

66

Ellisellidae Gray, 1859

Ellisella Gray, 1858

27

x

x

x

x

71–405

Junceella Valenciennes, 1855

16

x

x

x

12–162

Nicella Gray, 1870

26

x

x

x

x

93–552

Verrucella Milne Edwards & Haime, 1857

18

x

x

x

x

72–224

Viminella Gray, 1870

13

x

x

x

x

87–156

Euplexauridae McFadden, van Ofwegen & Quattrini, 2024

Euplexaura Verrill, 1869

15

x

x

x

x

48–348

Incertae sedis

Scleranthelia Studer, 1878 *

1

x

403

Cyclomuricea Nutting, 1908 *

1

x

99

Isididae Lamouroux, 1812

Rumphella Bayer, 1955

11

x

x

15–25

Keroeididae Kinoshita, 1910

Keroeides Wright & Studer, 1887

8

x

x

x

x

88–621

Lemnaliidae Gray, 1869

Paralemnalia Kükenthal, 1913

6

x

x

11–21

Rhytisma Alderslade, 2000

3

x

x

13–37

Melithaeidae Gray, 1870

Melithaea Milne Edwards, 1857

99

x

x

x

3–278

Nephtheidae Gray, 1862

Dendronephthya Kükenthal, 1905

30

x

x

x

7–260

Litophyton Forskål, 1775

8

x

x

8–27

Pacifiphyton Williams, 1997 *

1

x

125

Scleronephthya Studer, 1887

7

x

x

x

52–248

Stereonephthya Kükenthal, 1905

1

x

53

Umbellulifera Thomson & Dean, 1931

1

x

180

Nephthyigorgiidae McFadden, van Ofwegen & Quattrini, 2024

Nephthyigorgia Kükenthal, 1910

1

x

85

Nidaliidae Gray, 1869

Nidalia Gray, 1835

4

x

x

89–134

Parasphaerascleridae McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2013 *

Parasphaerasclera McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2013 *

2

x

x

75–97

Parisididae Aurivillius, 1931

Parisis Verrill, 1864

3

x

x

97–134

Pennatulidae Ehrenberg, 1834

Pteroeides Herklots, 1858

4

x

39–47

Sarcophytidae Gray, 1869

Lobophytum Marenzeller, 1886

1

x

8

Sarcophyton Lesson, 1834

10

x

x

8–51

Sclerophytum Pratt, 1903

34

x

x

x

x

5–68

Siphonogorgiidae Kölliker, 1874

Chironephthya Studer, 1887

48

x

x

x

x

78–621

Siphonogorgia Kölliker, 1874

45

x

x

x

x

32–542

Subergorgiidae Gray, 1859

Annella Gray, 1858

10

x

x

x

54–99

Subergorgia Gray, 1857

7

x

x

10–49

Tubiporidae Ehrenberg, 1828

Paratelesto Utinomi, 1958 *

6

x

x

x

73–157

Tubipora Linnaeus, 1758

69

x

x

x

x

6–38

Veretillidae Herklots, 1858

Cavernulina Kükenthal & Broch, 1911

1

x

312

Virgulariidae Verrill, 1868

Acanthoptilum Kölliker, 1870

4

x

92–211

Scytaliopsis Gravier, 1906

9

x

12–43

Scytalium Herklots, 1858

11

x

x

x

x

71–477

Virgularia Lamarck, 1816

1

x

477

Xeniidae Ehrenberg, 1828

Anthelia Lamarck, 1816

2

x

x

20–29

Ovabunda Alderslade, 2001

3

x

x

12–31

Xenia Lamarck, 1816

9

x

x

x

6–44