Journal of the Persian Gulf (Marine Science)/Vol. 3/No. 9/September 2012/10/33-42 The Gastropod Fauna along the Bushehr Province Intertidal Zone of the Persian Gulf Kohan, Ahmadreza*; Badbardast, Zahra; Shokri, Mohammadreza Faculty of Biological Science, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IR Iran Received: April 2012 Accepted: July 2012 © 2012 Journal of the Persian Gulf. All rights reserved. Abstract The gastropod fauna of Bushehr Province intertidal zone at the Persian Gulf were identified following an investigation starting spring 2009 until winter 2011. Bushehr coastline is a 673.62 km stretch along the northern and northeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. Sampling took place from Deylam at Bushehr-Khuzestan borderlines, extending southeastward through Genaveh, Bushehr, Bolkheyr, Kabgan, Dayer and Nayband at Bushehr-Hormozgan provincial borderlines. A total of 87 gastropod species from 54 families were identified. The most frequent family with 7 spp. was Trochidae, followed by Strombidae (4 spp.), Pyramidellidae, Potamididae, Olividae and Epitoniidae (3 spp. each).The most frequent species was Planaxis sulcatus observed in all 7 stations, followed by Turitella fultoni, Thais mutabilis and Thais savignyi occurring in 6 stations. The Jaccard Similarity measure showed the highest similarity for Genaveh and Bushehr (0.818) and the lowest similarity for Genaveh and Deylam (0.152).This study provided the first comprehensive list of Gastropoda species occurring in Bushehr Province intertidal zones yet. Keywords: Gastropoda fauna, Intertidal zone, Distribution, Bushehr, Persian Gulf 1. Introduction habitats ranging from the deepest ocean basins to the supra-littoral. The class Gastropoda, large taxonomic class Marine gastropod species of the Persian Gulf are within the phylum Mollusca, consists of snails and highly varied and abundant forming an important slugs (Bouchet et al., 2005). The class contains source of food for higher consumers (Al-Khayat, second largest number of species after the insects 2008). Gastropods are also important contributors to (Abbott, 2001) majority of which live in the marine coastal food chains, especially in mangrove forests ecosystems with a wide range of habitats. They occupy (Morrisey et al., 2003), to human uses, as food, e.g. all marine habitats ranging from the deepest ocean Turbo spp. and Strombus spp. (Sundaram, 1974) or basins to the supra-littoral. Environmental and medical utilities, e.g. Conus spp. (Olivera and biological factors, such as that of the Persian Gulf, Teichert, 2007). In addition, immigrant birds are profoundly influence the occurrence and distribution of attracted to Gastropod species in coastal areas (Bond marine invertebrates in general, and marine gastropods and Diamond, 2007). in particular. As such, gastropods, occupy all marine The Persian Gulf biota have been subject of study * E-mail: [email protected] by many scientists. Early studies were conducted in 33 Kohan et al. /The Gastropod Fauna along the Bushehr Province Intertiddaal Zone of the Persian Gulf early 1900 by Standen (1901) and Melvill (1928). A collect gastropods in mudddy shores, first five comprehensive survey was carried out by Danish centimeters of sediments (aeerobic zone) were picked Scientific team headed by Belgvad et al. (1937- and separated using a system of sieves of different 1938), whom published the results in a book entitled, mesh sizes (10 mm, 1 mmm and 0.5 mm). To find “Danish Scientific Investigation in Iran” during 1944 burrower species in sandy shores, sands were dug to and 1949. Other scientific studies include, the a depth of about 20 centimetters in several points. In German Oceanographic Vessel “Meteor” (19665) rocky shores, all aspects of rocks and boulders were survey findings, Biggs and Grantier (1960), Basson investigated (Figures 2 and 3). et al. (1977) and Sharabati (1981). More recent All gastropod speciemen were washed and studies have mainly concerned molluscs, for preserved in 70% Ethyl alcohol and 4% formalin. example, studies of Tajalipour (1970-1974), Al- Khayat (1977, 2005, 2006, 2008), Hasan (1996, All gastropod species were identified according to 1974), Rezai et al. (1995), Vazirizadeh and Arebi the lowest reliable taxonomic level. The following (2010), Ghasemi et al. (2011). systematic references were used as important guides Although, Bushehr coastline offers a unique for the identification of tthe species concerned: opportunity to study differences between different types Hoseinzahdeh Sahafi (2006), Taylor and Sohl of intertidal substrates, primarily because of coastal (1962), Angeletti (1978), OOpresko et al. (1976), diversity, there is very little information on the Bushehr Bouchet and Rocroi (2005)), Tunnell et al. (2010), Province intertidal gastropods population. Hence, tthhe Abbott et al. (2001) and Abbott and Morris (2001). present work was carried out to determine the intertidal gastropods population distribution of this zone. 2. Material and Methods 2.1. Study Area The present study was conducted in Bushehr Province coastlline (27°.27’ N to 30°.26’ N and 50°.93’ E to 52°.37’ E), encompassing the northern and northeastern cooast of the Persian Gulf (Figure1). Bushehr Province coastline is 673.62 km long and 35- 765 m wide (Sharifipour et al., 2006). Sampling was Fig. 1: Location of the study area, Bushehr Province coasts, the carried out from Deylam at Bushehr-Khuzesttaan Persian Gulf borderlines, extending southeastward through Genaveh, Bushehr, Bolkheyr, Kabgan, Dayer and Nayband, at Table 1. Sampling stations of investtigated area Geographic No. Station Substrate Bushehr-Hormozgan borderlines (Table 1). Coordinates 1 Deylam 50°.93’ E , 30°.26’ N Muddy, Sandy 2 Genaveh 50°. 49’ E , 29°.33’ N Sandy, Rocky 2.2. Sampling 3 Bushehr 50°. 50’ E , 28°.54’ N Sandy, Rocky 4 Bolkheyr 51°. 55’ E , 28°.32’ N Sandy The gastropod fauna of the Bushehr Provinnce 5 Kabgan 51°. 17’ E , 28°.12’ N Sandy intertidal zone of the Persian Gulf were sampled by 6 Dayyer 51°. 56’ E , 27°.49’ N Rocky, Sandy, Muddy Sandy, Muddy (mangrove 7 Nayband 52°. 37’ E , 27°.27’ N handpicking during spring, 2009 and winter 2011. To forest), Rocky 34 Journal of the Persian Gulf (Marine Science)/Vol .3/No .9/September 2012/10/33-42 Table 2. Existence ranges of gaasstropod species 0 - 20 - D (%) 40 - 59.99 60 - 79.99 80 - 100 19.99 39.99 Very Relatively Common Very Rarity Rare sp. rare sp. common sp. sp. common sp. Given this (Table 2) a very rare species is which exists in 0 – 19.99% of Bushehr Province coastline. The Jaccard Similarity coefficient was used to determine similarity betwweeen stations. Fig. 2: Rocks and boulders in rocky shores of Dayyer Station 3. Results A total of 87 species from 54 families were identified in 7 stations (Table 3, Plates 1, 2 and 3). Thirty-seven species occurred only in one station. For example, Acteocina involuuta was found only in Dayyer and Atys cylindricus only in the Nayband area. The family Trochidae was the most frequent family (7 spp.), followed by Strombidaee (4 spp.), Pyramidellidae, Potamididae, Olividae and Epitoniidae (3 spp. each). The most frequent species was Planaxis sulcatus (in 7 stations) followed by Turitella fultoni, Thais mutabilis and Thais saviiggnyi (in 6 stations) (Plates 1, 2, 3). The identified gastropod species were categorized to very rare and very common species based on their distribution ranges (not their frequencies).The histogram of distribution rrange demonstrated that the most and the least numbers of Bushehr Province Intertidal gastropods are categorized in very rare species and very common species divisions, Fig. 3: The shells of the dead specimens of Cerithidea cingulata (left) covered the entire substrate in Bushehr station and respectively (Figure 4). This meant that the identified Onchidium peronii, an air breathing gastropod species from species predominantly were restricted to small areas. Dayyer intertidal zones Very rare species occurred in as much as 19.99% of Bushehr Province coasttline, perhaps because of 2.3. Data Analysis various conditions in different parts of Bushehr coastline. To determine distribution ranges (D) of Gastropoda Results of the Jaccard Similarity Coefficient were species, Equation 1 was used. In this formula: “n” is used to draw the linkage dendrogram (Figure 5). the number of stations in which a specific species Gastropod species could be grouped into four zones: was present and “N” is the number of all investigated Zone 1 included Bushehr and Genaveh, Zone 2 stations. included Dayyer, Deylam and Bolkheyr, Zone 3 100 (1) included Kabgan and Zone 4 included Nayband. 35 Kohan et al. /The Gastropod Fauna along the Bushehr Province Intertidal Zone of the Persian Gulf Table 3-1. The identified gastropod species of intertidal zone of Bushehr Province in sampling stations Species Deylam Genaveh Bushehr Bolkheyr Kabgan Dayyer Nayband Acmaea profunda - + + + - + + Acme polita + - - - + - - Acteocina involuta* - - - - - + - Anachis misera - + + - - - - Ancilla castanea* - - - - + - - Architectonica perspectiva - + + - + - + Atys cylindricus* - - - - - - + Babylonia spirata - - - + - + - Balcis alba * - - - - + - - Bufonaria echinata + + + - + - + Bulla ampulla - + + - - - - Caecum gracile + - - - - + + Cellana karachiensis - + + - - - - Calyptraea edgariana + - - - - + + Cassidula labrella* - - - - - - + Cerithidea cingulata + + + - - + + Cerithium cerithium* - - - - - - + Cerithium columna + - - - + + + Citharmagglia sp.* - - - - - - + Clypeomorus bifasciatus + - - - - + + Conus flavidus*