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vol-21NUMERICAL AIVALYSIS OF CIIANGEI..~f11’1 1111: BIJ~4LVLJ)
A-fOLLlJSC FAUNA ALONG THE SAUDI l1VTER11DALZtJIVE OF
THE ARABIAN GULF’
By
A. K. HASSAN*
*National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria – Egypt.
Key Words: Mollusca, Bivalvia, Arabian Gulf.
.
ABSTRACT
The present study entails with the temporal and spatial changes in
the bivalved mollusc populations ofthe intertidal zone on the west coast
of the Arabian Gulf during 1993. The investigated area covered more
than 250 Jan (> 50 percent ofthe Saudi coastline ofthe Arabian Gulf),
extending from Jubay1 in the North through Salwa on the Saudi Qatari
borders. Sixty-eight bivalved mollusc species were identified, ofwhich 5
species were found to inhabit the whole range ofthe studied area; j 5
species were found in 91. 7percent ofthe area; 13 species were present
in 83.3 percent of the area; 14 species were found distributed in 75
percent of the area, 13 species extended in 66.7 percent ofthe area; 4
species were limited to 58.3 percent of the area,’ and 4 species were
procured in 50 percent ofthe area. QatifandAziziya were more densely
populated by bivalved mollusc’ fauna than the other stations of the
investigated area. Spring showed the maximum population, while
autumn showed the lower bivalve diversity.
