Seasonal Density and Distribution of Echinoderms of Khark Island

Identification of intertidal echinoderms and the effect of environmental factors on their density and distribution in five stations around the Khark Island were seasonally investigated. Three transects were designated to cover the supralittoral, eulittoral and sublittoral zones within each station. The environmental factors such as temperature, salinity and total organic maters (TOM) were also recorded. Maximum and minimum water temperature were recorded in summer (35.94 ± 0.28) and in winter (18.34 ± 0.39) and the maximum and minimum salinity were recorded in winter (44.6± 0.14) and spring (37 ± 0.18), respectively. Maximum and minimum percentages of total organic maters (TOM) were observed in summer (9.63 ± 0.71) and winter (3.39±0.15), respectively.Totally four species belonging to for families were identified, viz. Asterina burtoni, Echinometra mathaei, Holothuria atra, Ophiothrix sarignyi, the highest frequency of which was encountered by E. mathaei. The maximum density and distribution were found in spring and minimum in summer and winter.