The results of examination are recorded 60 taxa including 10 genera and 5 families in this area. Among these presents, two genera and 33 species are firstly recorded in comparison with the octocoral fauna of Vietnam which fauna has been the subject of several studies. The result showed that 14 species of Sinularia, 9 species of Lobophytum, 6 species of Sarcophyton genera are newly recorded in Vietnam. Meanwhile, only one new species belonging to the Hicksonella, Paralemnalia, Nephthea, Xenia genera is firstly recorded in Vietnam. | Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ biển T10 (2010). Số 4. Tr 39 - 49 SOFT CORALS (OCTOCORALLIA: ALCYONACEA) IN LY SON ISLANDS, THE CENTRAL OF VIETNAM HOANG XUAN BEN Viện Hải dương học TATYANA N. DAUTOVA Viện Hàn lâm Khoa học Nga Summary: Ly Son district belongs to Quangngai province including Dao Lon and Dao Be islands. They were located in central of Vietnam far 20 km from mainland. The environment in Ly Son is considered so different that compare with the ecological environment of near shore reefs of Vietnam. The reefs exist in the turbidity but calm waters. Especially, the reefs which located far from the mainland coast are studied less interested than offshore. The total 85 specimens were collected. The results of examination are recorded 60 taxa including 10 genera and 5 families in this area. Among these presents, two genera and 33 species are firstly recorded in comparison with the octocoral fauna of Vietnam which fauna has been the subject of several studies. The result showed that 14 species of Sinularia, 9 species of Lobophytum, 6 species of Sarcophyton genera are newly recorded in Vietnam. Meanwhile, only one new species belonging to the Hicksonella, Paralemnalia, Nephthea, Xenia genera is firstly recorded in Vietnam. Key words: Octocorallia, soft corals, new records, South China Sea, Vietnam. I. INTRODUCTION The soft corals (Cnidaria: Octocorallia) have the ability to occupy the significant bottom areas belonging to the main components of the coral reef ecosystems of the tropics. The survey of the biodiversity in soft corals is needed for solving the important problem of the tropical marine ecosystems and contribution to predict the damaged and healthy coral reefs in the nearest future. The octocoral fauna of Vietnam has been the subject of several studies. An early collection of soft coral conducted by Hickson in 1919, resulted in the description of one new species Alcyonium krempfi in the central of Vietnam (Hickson, 1919). Subsequently, Stiasny .
