Soft corals are major components of coral reefs (Dinesen, 1983). They contribute to the formation of reefs through the deposition of their sclerites, which are made of calcium carbonate material (Cary, 1917). Moreover, soft corals are part of the diet of different marine fauna such as invertebrates and fishes (Wylie & Paul 1989). Aside from their ecological importance, they have economic values as well. They are known to produce chemicals that can be useful for the pharmaceutical industry (Edrada et al., 1998).  They are also of interest to the aquarium industry because some species can be maintained easily (Fabricius & Alderslade, 2006). Soft corals also have the potential to be indicators of changes in environmental conditions such as water quality changes (Fabricius & McCorry, 2001) and even environmental changes due to climate change which can be very useful for management.