Rocky shore habitats are common in the Arabian Gulf region, however, there is little knowledge of the patterns of spatial and temporal distribution of key intertidal organisms. The spatial and seasonal distribution of Leptodius exaratus, a keystone species rocky shores on the Kuwait coast, were investigated to better understand the ecology of the species and to gain a wider knowledge of the ecology of the rocky shore habitats in the northwest Arabian Gulf. Intensive sampling across six sites along Kuwait’s coastline over a 14 month period between November 2013 and December 2014 indicated seasonal patterns of crab abundance, increasing during the warm season and decreasing during winter and with a more large crabs observed during the summer. L. exaratus was more abundant in the mid intertidal zone on both sheltered and exposed shores. Their abundance increased towards the lower shore in sheltered sites, whereas abundance was greater towards the higher shore in exposed sites. Males and females inhabit the same habitat, with similar spatial and seasonal distributions. There was high seasonal recruitment of juveniles during summer between July and September, with some low levels of recruitment later in October and November. Moreover, juveniles follow a similar pattern of distribution as adult crabs, with abundance of juveniles being directly related to the abundance of the adult crabs and ovigerous females present on each shore. This indicates direct or indirect recruitment to the adult intertidal habitat. Significant differences in crab abundance were seen between specific sampling sites, but not at a regional level between sheltered and exposed shorelines. This suggests that abundance is influenced by localised differences between rocky shore habitat, such as habitat complexity. L. exaratus is also exploited by intertidal gleaning, which may indirectly influence patterns of crab abundance through localised differences in habitat damage.

多岩石的海岸栖息地在阿拉伯湾地区很普遍，但是，对于主要潮间带生物的时空分布模式知之甚少。为了更好地了解该物种的生态学，并更深入地了解了阿拉伯湾西北部的岩石海岸生境，对Leptodius exaratus（科威特海岸多岩石的海岸）的时空分布进行了调查。在2013年11月至2014年12月的14个月中，对科威特海岸线上的六个地点进行了密集采样，显示了螃蟹数量的季节性模式，在温暖的季节有所增加，而在冬季则有所减少，而夏季则观察到更大的螃蟹。乳杆菌在潮间带的庇护和裸露海岸中，其含量都比较丰富。在庇护所中，它们向下游的丰度增加，而在裸露处，它们向较高岸的丰度更大。雄性和雌性生活在相同的栖息地，空间和季节分布相似。在7月至9月的夏季，青少年的季节性招聘较高，而10月至11月的后期，招聘的水平较低。此外，幼鱼的分布方式与成年蟹相似，幼鱼的丰富度与成年蟹的丰富度直接相关，而每个海岸上的雌性卵母也丰富。这表明直接或间接招募到成年潮间带栖息地。在特定采样点之间，蟹的丰度有显着差异，但不在庇护和裸露的海岸线之间的区域范围内。这表明丰度受岩石海岸生境之间局部差异的影响，例如生境复杂性。潮间带采伐还利用了羊栖菜L. exaratus，它可能通过栖息地破坏的局部差异间接影响蟹类的丰度模式。