SPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONAND SEASONAL VARIATION OF THE GASTROPOD MOLLUSC SPECIES ALONG THE SAUDI INTERTIDAL ZONE OF THE ARABIAN GULF

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONAND SEASONAL VARIATION OF THE

GASTROPOD MOLLUSC SPECIES ALONG THE SAUDI

INTERTIDAL ZONE OF THE ARABIAN GULF

By
A. K. HASSAN
Department of Aquatic Resource Development, College of Agricultural and
Food Sciences, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 1872, Hofuf, AI-Hassa
1982, Saudi Arabia.
ABSTRACT
The present investigation entails with the spatial distribution and
seasonal variation of the gastropod molluscan fauna in the Saudi
intertidal zone along the western coast ofthe Arabian Gulfduring 1993.
The studied area extended from Jubay1 in the North to Salwa in the
South. 12 stations were seasonally investigated. 62 gastropod molluscan
species were identified. The distribution pattern ofthese species within
the stations showed that: 12 species had a wide. range ofdistribution, 9
species were found in 75 % ofthe area, 7 species were only limited to
50% and only 1 species was restricted to 25 % ofthe whole area. The
observed seasonal abundance of the gastropod popu!ation recorded
from the whole studied area showed that: Spring was the season of
highest abundance, followed by Summer, Autumn and Winter which
showed the least abundance. Furthermore, the relationship between the
‘environmental factors and the population abundance ofthe gastropod
fauna were also discussed.