Identification and ecological survey on macrobentic bivalves in the intertidal zone of Khark island(Persian Gulf)

Shamoradi, Ali Reza; Salari-Aliabadi, Mohammad Ali; Nabavi, Seiied Mohammad Bagher; Savari, Ahmad; Movahedinia, Abdolali

Identification and ecological survey on macrobentic bivalves in the intertidal zone of Khark island(Persian Gulf)

Document Type : Original Manuscript

Authors

Ali Reza Shamoradi

Mohammad Ali Salari-Aliabadi

Seiied Mohammad Bagher Nabavi

Ahmad Savari

Abdolali Movahedinia

Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Science and Oceanography, Khorramshahr Marine Science and Technology University, Khorramshahr, Iran.

Abstract

The goals of this study were identification and ecological survey on macrobenthic bivalves in the Khark Island. This study has been done during four seasons through 2010-2011 in five sites around the Khark Island. In each five sites, three separated transects including supralittoral, eulittoral and sublittoral zones have been selected. At each sampling time and site environmental factors such as temperature, salinity and total organic maters (TOM) have been measured. Collected samples were analysed and according to the results, Maximum and minimum water temperatures have recorded in summer (35.94 ± 0.28) and in winter (18.34 ± 0.39) and the Maximum and minimum rates of salinity have recorded in winter (44.6 ± 0.14) and spring (37 ± 0.18) respectively. Maximum and minimum percentages of total organic maters (TOM) have observed in summer (9.63 ± 0.71) and winter (3.39 ± 0.15) respectively. Twelve bivalve species belonging to seven families were identified that are: Barbatia lacerate, Pinctada radiate, Ostrea sp.1, Crossostrea gigas, Sacosstrea cucullata. Diplodonta ravaiyensis, Venus sp.1, Circentia callypyga, Callista sp.1, Gari roseus, Tellina capsoides, Angulus adensis. The maximum and minimum density and distribution have been found in spring and summer respectively. In our study the most frequent bivalve species in all seasons was Barbatia lacerate.