The Presence of Corallium rubrum (Linaeus, 1758) in Greek Waters. A Historical Review  <B>The Presence of Corallium rubrum (Linaeus, 1758) in Greek Waters. A Historical Review</B><P>C. Dounas(1), A. Eleftheriou (2) and Ath. Koukouras(3)</B><I><P> (1) Institute of Marine Biology of Crete, P.O. Box 2214, 71003 Iraklio, Crete, Greece<BR> (2) Department of Biology, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1470, 71010 Iraklio, Crete, Greece<BR> (3) Department of Biology, University of Thessaloniki, 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece</I><P> Over the years many research workers have been concerned with the distribution of <I>Corallium rubrum </I>in the eastern basin of the Mediterranean and in particular the Aegean Sea.<P> Review of the relevant literature shows that the available information is incomplete and frequently even contradictory. Zibrowius (1979) in his attempt to compile and assess all the available information on the subject concluded that only the remark of Forbes (1844) about "...very numerous minute specimens but none being met with sufficient size to render them of value in commerce" could be considered as evidence of the presence of this species in the Aegean. After examination of the biological material which was collected during the French oceanographic surveys in the Eastern Mediterranean, the same author reported a small fragment of dead coral originating from the offshore area off Kastelorizo Island. And although Zibrowius considered that this information was additional evidence of the coral's presence in this area, nevertheless he conceded that this did not prove the coral's existence in the Eastern Mediterranean, he concluded that "...la repartition de <I>Corallium rubrum</I> en Mediterranee orientale reste un probleme interessant a etudier en detail".<P> FAO Fisheries report No. 413. GFCM Technical Consultation on Red Coral of the Mediterranean. Torre del Greco, Italy, 27-30 September 1988. Annex L.<I></I><P>