DOCSLIB.ORG

Studies on the Inter-Tidal Rocky Shore Crabs (Decapoda: Crustacea: Brachyura) from Goa, West Coast of India

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Studies on the Inter-Tidal Rocky Shore Crabs (Decapoda: Crustacea: Brachyura) from Goa, West Coast of India Studies on the inter-tidal rocky shore crabs (Decapoda: Crustacea: Brachyura) from Goa, West coast of India Thesis submitted to Goa University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Sciences by J. Vijaylaxmi School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Goa University, Goa - 403 206, India December, 2020 II Shri Ganesh II Dedicated to My Family for their love and endless support Statement As required by the University ordinance 0.19.8 (vi), I state that the present thesis entitled “Studies on the inter-tidal rocky shore crabs (Decapoda: Crustacea: Brachyura) from Goa, West coast of India” is my original contribution and the same has not been submitted on any previous occasion. To the best of my knowledge the present study is the first comprehensive work of its kind from the area mentioned. The literature related to the problem investigated has been cited. Due acknowledgments have been made wherever facilities and suggestions have been availed of. J. Vijaylaxmi Certificate This is to certify that the thesis entitled “Studies on the inter-tidal rocky shore crabs (Decapoda: Crustacea: Brachyura) from Goa, West coast of India”, submitted by Miss. J. Vijaylaxmi for the award of Doctor of Philosophy in School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences is based on her original studies carried out by her under my supervision. The thesis or any part thereof has not been previously submitted for any degree or diploma in any Universities or Institutions. Professor C. U. Rivonker Research Guide School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences Goa University Taleigao Plateau, 403 206, Goa ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to sincerely thank all those intimately involved in materializing this thesis. First and foremost, I would like to express a deep sense of gratitude to my mentor, Professor C. U. Rivonker, School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Goa University for giving me an opportunity to work under his able guidance. I wish to convey my special thanks to Dr. Vinay Padate, Dr. Mahabaleshwar Hegde and Dr. Dinesh Velip, for teaching me taxonomy and the intricacies of data handling, processing and presentation and also for the fruitful suggestions given at various stages of my Ph. D. programme. I would whole heartedly thank Dr. S.S. Sawant, Retd Scientist, NIO and Dr. Aftab A. Can for inspiration and teaching me Statistical analysis and making me acquainted with software, data handling and processing respectively. I also wish to thank Dr. Anup Mandal, RGCA, Tamil Nadu, for extending help in connection with the DNA sequencing of crab samples. I am highly indebted to Dr. Dattesh. V. Desai, Principal Scientist at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, and Prof. M. K. Janarthanam, Prof. H. B. Menon, Prof. V. M. Matta, members of FRC for their timely suggestions that enable to improve the quality of the thesis. I am also grateful to the Directorate General of Shipping, Government of India for funding my tenure as Research Assistant. UGC - Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF), funded by Ministry of Social justice and empowerment, New Delhi, for providing me fellowship for my entire Ph. D. programme. I also appreciate the constructive criticism of the anonymous reviewers that enabled enhancing the quality of the published papers. I would also like to thank all the supporting staff of the Department of Marine Sciences for their help in laboratory and administrative works. Finally, I take this opportunity to thank my close friends from Goa University and NIO who were always supportive of my endeavor. J. Vijaylaxmi CONTENTS Page List of Tables i - ii List of Figures iii - v Chapter 1. General Introduction 1-5 1.1. Background information 5-15 1.2. Literature review 15-16 1.3. Objectives Chapter 2. Materials and Methods 17-24 2.1. Study area 17-18 2.2. Sample collection and preservation 18-23 2.3. Statistical analysis 23-24 Chapter 3. Taxonomy and diversity of rocky shore crabs 25-56 3.1. Introduction 25-26 3.2. Methodology 26-28 3.3. Results 28-54 3.4. Discussion 55-56 Chapter 4. Spatial and temporal variations of few selected 57-74 species of rock crabs 4.1. Introduction 57-58 4.2. Methodology 58-59 4.3. Results 59-71 4.4. Discussion 71-74 Chapter 5. Reproductive biology of few selected species 75-87 of rock crabs 5.1. Introduction 75-76 5.2. Methodology 76-77 5.3. Results 77-85 5.4. Discussion 85-87 Chapter 6. Phylogenetic relationships among few selected 88-103 species of rock crabs 6.1. Introduction 88-89 6.2. Methodology 89-94 6.3. Results 94-101 6.4. Discussion 102-103 Chapter 7. Summary 104-105 References 106-152 List of Tables Table 2.1. Details of sampling surveys carried out in the study area Table 3.1. List of morphological parameters and abbreviations used in the present study Table 3.2. List of Brachyuran crab taxa observed during the study period Table 3.3. Morphological measurements for Dotilla myctiroides (N=49) Table 3.4. Morphometric ratios for Dotilla myctiroides (N = 49) Table 4.1. Contribution of species in Group 1 and Group 2 Table 4.2. Abundance of rocky shore Brachyuran crabs at five sampling stations Table 4.3. Seasonal and spatial difference in crab population using two - way ANOVA Table.4.4. Length range of male, female and ovigerous female crab species used in the present study. Table 5.1. Abundance of male, female, ovigerous females, percentage of ovigerous females and sex ratio of four crab species Table 5.2. CW of male and female of four crab species Table 5.3. Chi-square test on sex ratio of Leptodius exaratus and Epixanthus frontalis Table 5.4. Chi-square test on sex ratio of Metapograpsus frontalis and Heteropanope glabra Table 5.5. Abundance of ovigerous females, egg range, average number of eggs and mean fecundity of four crab species Table 5.6. Fecundity index of four crab species Table 5.7. Results of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) between CW and fecundity of Leptodius exaratus. Table 5.8. Results of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) between CW and fecundity of Epixanthus frontalis Table 5.9. Results of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) between CW and fecundity of Metopograpsus frontalis i Table 5.10. Results of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) between CW and fecundity of Heteropanope glabra Table 6.1. Protocol for sequencing Table 6.2. The PCR cycling conditions Table 6.3. List of Forward and Reverse Universal primers of 16S rRNA and COI Table 6.4. Detail of 16S rRNA amplification and sequencing Table 6.5. Detail of COI amplification and sequencing Table 6.6. Brachyuran crab species used for phylogenetic analysis of COI and 16s rRNA Table 6.7. List of reference sequences used for the construction of COI tree Table 6.8. List of reference sequences used for the construction of 16S rRNA tree ii List of Figures Figure 2.1. Map of the study area indicating the sampling sites Figure 3.1. Carupella banlaensis. Line diagrams of (A) the dorsal surface of the carapace; (B) the ventral surface of the orbit and antennulary fossa; (C) the ventral surface of the third maxilliped; (D) the ventral surface of the sternum; (E) the outer surface of the dactylus and the propodus of the right cheliped; (F) the ventral surface of the merus of the left cheliped; (G) the outer surface of the dactylus and the propodus of the left cheliped; (H) the ventral surface of the abdomen (female) Figure 3.2. Carupella banlaensis. Colour photographs of (A) the dorsal surface of the carapace and (B) the ventral surface of the carapace Figure 3.3. Colour photographs (live specimens) of the carapace and the appendages of (A) Carupella banlaensis and (B) Scylla juvenile Figure 3.4. Line diagrams of dorsal surface of carapace of (A) Carupella banlaensis and (B) Scylla juvenile indicating the rostral length (RL) and the carapace length (CL) Figure 3.5. Line diagrams of the antenna (including the basal antennal segment) of (A) Carupella banlaensis and (B) immature Scylla female Figure 3.6. Line diagrams of the dorsal surface of the carapace of (A) Carupella banlaensis (present specimen), (B) Carupella banlaensis (type specimen – China; Tien 1969), (C) Carupella epibranchialis (type specimen – East China Sea; Zarenkov 1970) and (D) Carupella natalensis (Madagascar; Crosnier 1962) Figure 3.7. Dotilla myctiroides (Line diagrams): (A) Frontal margin of carapace; (B) Orbit; (C) Third maxilliped; (D) Major cheliped – dactylus and propodus; (E) Pereiopod (F) Male sternum; (G) Male abdomen Figure 3.8. (A) Photograph of entire second maxilliped Dotilla myctiroides, (B) SEM photograph of section of second maxilliped showing numerous setae, (C) SEM photograph of distal portion of spoon-tipped setae Figure 3.9. SEM photographs of (A) entire G1 (B) distal half of G1 of Dotilla myctiroides iii Figure 3.10. Coloured photograph of (A) dorsal view, (B) ventral view of fresh specimen of Dotilla myctiroides Figure 4.1. Cluster dendrogram of five sampling stations using Bray – Curtis similarity coefficient Figure 4.2. Cluster dendrogram of Species using Bray – Curtis similarity coefficient Figure 4.3. (A) Seasonal and (B) Spatial variations of rarely occurring crab species Figure 4.4. (A) Seasonal and (B) Spatial variations of frequently and commonly occurring crab species Figure 4.5. (A) Seasonal and (B) Spatial variation of less abundance crab species Figure 4.6. Spatial and temporal variations at five stations in (A) Shannon-Wiener diversity, (B) Margalef’s species richness and (C) Pielou’s species evenness measures Figure 4.7. Overall seasonal abundance of five sampling stations Figure 4.8.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • On the Crabs of the Family Ocypodidae in the Collection of the Raffles Museum M. W. F. TWEEDIE
    Reprint from Bulletin of the Raffles Museum, Singapore, Straits Settlements, No. IS, August 1937 On the Crabs of the family Ocypodidae in the collection of the Raffles Museum hy M. W. F. TWEEDIE M. W. F. TWEEDIE On the Crabs of the Family Ocypodidae in the Collection of the Raffles Museum By M. W. F. TwEEDiE, M.A. The material described in this paper has been collected for the most part during the last four years, mainly in mangrove swamps around Singapore Island and at a few localities on the east and west coasts of the Malay Peninsula. The greater part of the paper and most of the figures were prepared at the British Museum (Natural History) during August and September, 1936, and my grateful acknowledgments are due to the Director for permission to work there and for facilities provided, and particularly to Dr. Isabella Gordon for her unfailing help and encouragement. I wish also to express my thanks to the Directorates of the Zoological Museums at Leiden and Amsterdam for permission to examine types, and for the helpfulness and courtesy with which I was received by the members of the staffs of these museums. Finally acknowledgments are due to Prof. Dr. H. Balss, Dr. B. N. Chopra and Dr. C. J. Shen for their kindness in comparing specimens with types and authentic specimens in their respective institutions. The mode adopted for collecting the material may be of interest to collectors of Crustacea, and possibly other invertebrate groups, in the tropics. It was found that if crabs, especially Grapsidse and Ocypodidse, are put straight into alcohol, they tend to die slowly and in their struggles to shed their limbs and damage each other, so that often less than 10% of the collection survive as perfect specimens.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter Two Marine Organisms
    THE SINGAPORE BLUE PLAN 2018 EDITORS ZEEHAN JAAFAR DANWEI HUANG JANI THUAIBAH ISA TANZIL YAN XIANG OW NICHOLAS YAP PUBLISHED BY THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY OCTOBER 2018 THE SINGAPORE BLUE PLAN 2018 PUBLISHER THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY C/O NSSE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION 1 NANYANG WALK SINGAPORE 637616 CONTACT: [email protected] ISBN: 978-981-11-9018-6 COPYRIGHT © TEXT THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY COPYRIGHT © PHOTOGRAPHS AND FIGURES BY ORINGAL CONTRIBUTORS AS CREDITED DATE OF PUBLICATION: OCTOBER 2018 EDITED BY: Z. JAAFAR, D. HUANG, J.T.I. TANZIL, Y.X. OW, AND N. YAP COVER DESIGN BY: ABIGAYLE NG THE SINGAPORE BLUE PLAN 2018 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The editorial team owes a deep gratitude to all contributors of The Singapore Blue Plan 2018 who have tirelessly volunteered their expertise and effort into this document. We are fortunate to receive the guidance and mentorship of Professor Leo Tan, Professor Chou Loke Ming, Professor Peter Ng, and Mr Francis Lim throughout the planning and preparation stages of The Blue Plan 2018. We are indebted to Dr. Serena Teo, Ms Ria Tan and Dr Neo Mei Lin who have made edits that improved the earlier drafts of this document. We are grateful to contributors of photographs: Heng Pei Yan, the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey photography team, Ria Tan, Sudhanshi Jain, Randolph Quek, Theresa Su, Oh Ren Min, Neo Mei Lin, Abraham Matthew, Rene Ong, van Heurn FC, Lim Swee Cheng, Tran Anh Duc, and Zarina Zainul. We thank The Singapore Institute of Biology for publishing and printing the The Singapore Blue Plan 2018.
    [Show full text]
  • Growth and Population Biology of the Sand-Bubbler Crab Scopimera
    Sharifian et al. The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology (2021) 82:21 The Journal of Basic https://doi.org/10.1186/s41936-021-00218-x and Applied Zoology RESEARCH Open Access Growth and population biology of the sand-bubbler crab Scopimera crabricauda Alcock 1900 (Brachyura: Dotillidae) from the Persian Gulf, Iran Sana Sharifian1* , Vahid Malekzadeh2, Ehsan Kamrani2 and Mohsen Safaie2 Abstract Background: Dotillid crabs are introduced as one common dwellers of sandy shores. We studied the ecology and growth of the sand bubbler crab Scopimera crabricauda Alcock, 1900, in the Persian Gulf, Iran. Crabs were sampled monthly by excavating nine quadrats at three intertidal levels during spring low tides from January 2016 to January 2017. Results: Population data show unimodal size-frequency distributions in both sexes. The Von Bertalanffy function was calculated at CWt = 8.76 [1 − exp (− 0.56 (t + 0.39))], CWt = 7.90 [1 − exp (− 0.59 (t + 0.40))] and CWt = 9.35 [1 − exp (− 0.57 (t + 0.41))] for males, females, and both sexes, respectively. The life span appeared to be 5.35, 5.07, and 5.26 years for males, females, and both sexes, respectively. The cohorts were identified as two age continuous groups, with the mean model carapace width 5.39 and 7.11 mm for both sexes. The natural mortality (M) coefficients stood at 1.72 for males, 1.83 for females, and 1.76 years−1 for both sexes, respectively. The overall sex ratio (1:0.4) was significantly different from the expected 1:1 proportion with male-biased.
    [Show full text]
  • Brachyura: Dotillidae Stimpson, 1858) from Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Iraq Y.G
    Ukrainian Journal of Ecology Ukrainian Journal of Ecology, 2021, 11(2), 77-79, doi: 10.15421/2021_80 ORIGINAL ARTICLE A new record of dotillid crab Ilyoplax stevensi Kemp, 1919 Crustacea: Brachyura: Dotillidae Stimpson, 1858) from Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Iraq Y.G. Amaal*, N.D Murtada, Khaled Kh S. Al-Khafaji Marine Science Centre, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq *Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected] Received: 24.02.2021. Accepted: 24.03.2021. Specimens of new record of dotillid crab Ilyoplax stevensi Kemp, 1919 were collected in January 2021 from intertidal zones of Shatt Al-Basrah Canal, Iraq. The diagnostic characteristics of these species were examined and are reported in the present paper. Keywords: Ilyoplax stevensi, intertidal zones, Iraq Introduction The genus Ilyoplax (Stimpson 1858) currently consists of 28 species in the world. The genus species iswidely distributed in the Indo-Western Pacific region (Davie, and Naruse, 2010; Fatemi, et al., 2011; Kitaura and Wada, 2006; Ng et al., 2008; Trivedi et al., 2015). In the Persian-Arabian Gulf, the genus Ilyoplax is represented by two species Ilyoplax stevensi (Kemp, 1919) and Ilyoplax frater (Kemp, 1919) (Fatemi, et al., 2011; Naderloo, 2017). Comprehensive taxonomic studies have been carried out on Brachyura of species in the Persian-Arabian Gulf, Iraqi coast in recent years such as: (Naser, 2009; Ng et al., 2009; Naser et al., 2010; Naser, 2011; Naser et al., 2012; Naser et al., 2013; Naser, 2018; Naser, 2019; Yasser & Naser, 2019, Yasser & Naser, 2019b). The present study records significant expansion in the distribution range of the dotillid crab Ilyoplax stevensi in the Persian-Arabian Gulf, Iraqi coast.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Southampton Research Repository Eprints Soton
    University of Southampton Research Repository ePrints Soton Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination http://eprints.soton.ac.uk UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS School of Ocean and Earth Science ECOLOGY OF THE INTERTIDAL CRAB DOTILLA INTERMEDIA FROM TSUNAMI-IMPACTED BEACHES IN THAILAND Christopher John Allen Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy April 2010 DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP I, Christopher John Allen , declare that the thesis entitled The Ecology of the intertidal crab Dotilla intermedia from tsunami-impacted beaches in Thailand and the work presented in the thesis are both my own, and have been generated by me as a result of my own original research. I confirm that: • This work was done wholly or mainly while in candidature for a research degree at this University; • Where any part of this thesis has been previously submitted for a degree or any other qualification at this University or any other institution, this has been clearly stated; • Where I have consulted the published work of others, this is always clearly attributed; • Where I have quoted from the work of others, the source is always given.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Behaviors of Several Ocypodoid Crabs Observed in Mangrove Swamps in Southern Thailand
    Crustacean Research 2018 Vol.47: 35–41 ©Carcinological Society of Japan. doi: 10.18353/crustacea.47.0_35 Social behaviors of several ocypodoid crabs observed in mangrove swamps in southern Thailand Keiji Wada Abstract.̶ The social behaviors of crabs in the families Dotillidae and Macroph- thalmidae inhabiting mangrove swamps in southern Thailand were observed in the field. The cheliped motion and duration of the waving display were determined for four dotillid crabs (Dotillopsis brevitarsis, Ilyoplax delsmani, Ilyoplax gangetica, and Ilyoplax orientalis) and two macrophthalmid crabs (Macrophthalmus erato and Macrophthalmus pacificus), and their motion patterns were compared with those of congeneric species. The sequential events of coupling by a male and a female were observed in D. brevitarsis, I. gangetica, and Ilyoplax obliqua. Fighting events were noted for D. brevitarsis, I. gangetica, I. obliqua, and M. erato. A threat display based on the vertical movement of the chelipeds was observed in the dotillid species Dotilla myctiroides. The chela-quivering display by male I. obliqua was described based on the cheliped motion and the context in which the display occurred. Key words: dotillid crabs, macrophthalmid crabs, mangrove swamp, sexual behavior, Thailand, waving display ■ Introduction 1999; Weis & Weis, 2004) and fighting (Koga et al., 1999; Tina et al., 2015) behaviors of fid- Intertidal ocypodoid crabs exhibit developed dler crabs of the family Ocypodidae have often social behaviors, such as diversified visual dis- been studied . plays
    [Show full text]
  • Decapoda, Brachyura, Dotillidae
    Running heads: Ng et al. New subfamily of dotillid crab RESEARCH ARTICLE Establishment of a new subfamily for Shenius anomalus (Shen, 1935) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Dotillidae) Peter K. L. Nga*, Paul F. Clarkb and Jose A. Cuestac aTropical Marine Science Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 119260, Republic of Singapore, bDepartment of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, England, cInstituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (CSIC), Avda. República Saharaui 2, 11519 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] Abstract Shenius anomalus (Shen, 1935) has previously been assigned to the Macrophthalmidae Dana, 1851, and the Camptandriidae Stimpson, 1858. However, a close examination of adult and first stage zoeal morphology confirms some previous suggestions that S. anomalus is actually an anomalous member of the Dotillidae Stimpson, 1858. However, because a number of distinctive features distinguish it from Dotilla Stimpson, 1858, Ilyoplax Stimpson, 1858 and Scopimera de Haan, 1833, a new subfamily Sheniinae is established. 1 Key words: Crustacea, Brachyura, new subfamily, Dotillidae, Sheniinae, new subfamily, systematics Introduction Shen (1935) described an unusual thoracotreme crab species from China, Camptandrium anomalum. He noted that although its carapace closely resembled the known species of Camptandrium Stimpson, 1858, it nevertheless had many atypical features such as a unique shape of the male abdomen and unusually structured male first gonopods. The assignment of this species to Camptandrium was challenged by Serène (1968) and he eventually established a new genus to accommodate it, Shenius Serène, 1971. Although Serène (1974), Serène & Kumar (1971) and Serène & Moosa (1974) formally recognised the Camptandriinae Stimpson, 1858, as a distinct subfamily in the Ocypodidae Rafinesque, 1815, these authors were uncertain with regard to the placement of Shenius.
    [Show full text]
  • XXII NOTES on CRUSTACEA DECAPODA in the INDIAN Lviuseuivi
    XXII NOTES ON CRUSTACEA DECAPODA IN THE INDIAN lVIUSEUIVI XII. SCOPIMERINAE. By STANLEY KEMP, B.A., Superintendent, Zoological Survey of India. Plates XII, XIII. This subfamily of Ocypodidae comprises a number of very small crabs found on the sea shore or in estuaries and backwaters. Four genera have hitherto been recognised :-Scopi'1nera, de Haan, Dott"lta, Stimpson (= Doto, de Haan), I lyoplax, Stimpson and Tym­ panomerus, Rathbun (= Dioxippe, de Man). A fifth is here described under the name Dott:llopsis. The range of the subfamily extends from the southern and western coasts of Africa and the Red Sea to the Banda Sea, the Philippine Is. and Japan. Its headquarters appear to be on the Indian coasts on which all the genera except the problematical I lyoplax occur. Including the new forms here described thirty species of Scopimerinae are now known: of these I have seen twenty-one. Eighteen species are known from the Indian coasts and of these r have seen all but one and the types or paratypes of thirteen. The Scopimerine crabs are, of small size as compared with the Ocypodinae. They are al11ittoral or estuarine and strictly amphi­ bious in habits. Unlike Ocypoda the coastal species live only in sheltered bays on the shores of which surf never breaks. The species of Dotilla and Scopimera burrow in damp sand between tide-marks and different forms are as a rule restricted to different levels on the beach. For example, both in lVlormugao Bay on the west coast of India and at Tuticorin on the south-east coast Scop­ il1zera proxima and Dotilla myctiroides occur, the former inhabiting the zone near high-water mark, while the latter is to be found near low-water mark.
    [Show full text]
  • Spatial Distribution and Substrate Preference Pattern of Ilyoplax Frater Along Intertidal Areas of Pakistan
    Spatial distribution and substrate preference pattern of Ilyoplax frater along intertidal areas of Pakistan Item Type article Authors Saher, Noor Us; Qureshi, Noureen Aziz; Aziz, Uroj Download date 29/09/2021 18:37:06 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/40786 Pakistan Journal of Marine Sciences, Vol. 23(1&2), 33-43, 2014. SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND SUBSTRATE PREFERENCE PATTERN OF ILYOPLAX FRATER ALONG INTERTIDAL AREAS OF PAKISTAN Noor Us Saher, Noureen Aziz Qureshi and Uroj Aziz Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan (NUS); Department of Zoology, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, Pakistan (NAQ); A.P.W.A. Government College for Women Karimabad, Karachi, Pakistan (UA). email: [email protected] ABSTRACT: Spatial distribution of dotillid crab i.e. Ilyoplax frater studied along the intertidal shores of Pakistan using transect and quadrate sampling method. The study revealed a significant correlation between the distribution of Ilyoplax frater and habitat characteristics like tidal level and sediment structure, as these crabs were more abundant in low to mid tide level with high moisture, porosity and mud content. The morphology of feeding appendages i.e showed meral segment is not expended, having plumose to serrate setae which is characteristics of deposit feeding crabs adapted in muddy cum sandy environment having feeding appandages specialized in relation to habitat. Significant spatial variations in crab density was observed among sites, highest density of crabs were reported from Bhambore with low mean size (6.86 ± 1.66) with a size range 2 mm – 11mm of carapace width (CW) . KEYWORDS: Dotillid crab, spatial distribution, habitat, crab density.
    [Show full text]
  • Population Structure and Morphometric Variation in the Sand-Bubbler Crab Scopimera Crabricauda (Brachyura: Dotillidae)
    Animal Biology 67 (2017) 319–330 brill.com/ab Population structure and morphometric variation in the sand-bubbler crab Scopimera crabricauda (Brachyura: Dotillidae) Sana Sharifian1, Vahid Malekzadeh2, Ehsan Kamrani2,∗ and Mohsen Safaie2 1 Department of Marine Biology, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran 2 Fishery Department, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran Submitted: September 2, 2017. Final revision received: November 4, 2017. Accepted: November 8, 2017 Abstract In the present study, population ecology and relationships between various morphometric characters of the sand-bubbler crab Scopimera crabricauda from the Persian Gulf (Iran) were studied. Crabs were collected monthly by excavating nine quadrats in high-density areas of open burrows at low, mid and high intertidal levels during spring low tides for one year. A total of 534 crabs was collected, of which 70% were males (and 30% females). Mean carapace width and total weight in both sexes showed significant differences. Crabs with a carapace width ranging from 5 to 7 mm were the dominant crabs in the population. The highest numbers of crabs were found in the higher intertidal area. The mean size of crabs decreased towards the sea. The aggregation of small crabs was found towards sea in female crabs. Juveniles were abundantly found from January to March whereas the sub-adults and adults were mostly found from April to January. The carapace length to carapace width relationship differed between males and females, as did the carapace width and carapace length to total weight relationships. Finally, the relationship between carapace width and weight for both sexes showed that the growth of this species is allometric.
    [Show full text]
  • Decapoda, Brachyura, Dotillidae) from Gujarat, India
    Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity xxx (2015) 1e5 HOSTED BY Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/japb Original article A new species of Ilyoplax (Decapoda, Brachyura, Dotillidae) from Gujarat, India Jigneshkumar N. Trivedi, Gunjan M. Soni, Dhruva J. Trivedi, Kauresh D. Vachhrajani* Marine Biodiversity and Ecology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India article info abstract Article history: A new species, Ilyoplax sayajiraoi, belonging to the family Dotillidae is described from Gujarat state, India. Received 8 January 2015 It differs from its closely related species, Ilyoplax stevensi and Ilyoplax frater by differences in shape and Received in revised form proportions of the carapace, shape, and setae arrangement pattern on chela and morphologies of male 16 February 2015 and female abdomen. The details on the morphological differences are presented in this study. Accepted 27 February 2015 Copyright Ó 2015, National Science Museum of Korea (NSMK) and Korea National Arboretum (KNA). Available online xxx Production and hosting by Elsevier. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Keywords: Brachyuran crab Gujarat Gulf of Khambhat Ilyoplax Mudflat Introduction from India (Alcock 1900; Kemp 1919). Species belonging to genus Ilyoplax are smaller in size but occur in large numbers on the sandy Brachyuran crabs belonging to the genus Ilyoplax (Stimpson and muddy shores and they play a significant role in the ecology of 1858) are commonly found on the intertidal mudflats distributed the habitat (Nishihira 1984; Snowden et al 1991).
    [Show full text]
  • Brachyura: Ocypodoidea: Dotillidae) from Mangrove Area of Korangi Creek
    Pakistan J. Zool., vol. 43(1), pp. 133-140, 2011. Relative Growth and Morphological Sexual Maturity of Ilyoplax frater (Brachyura: Ocypodoidea: Dotillidae) From Mangrove Area of Korangi Creek Noor-Us-Saher1* and Naureen Aziz Qureshi2 1Center of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan 2Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Veterinary and Animal Science, Lahore Abstract.- The relative growth and size at morphological sexual maturity of mangrove crab, Ilyoplax frater were studied. The crabs were monthly collected from Korangi creek through quadrate method. The morphometric measurement of carapace, abdomen, cheliped and male gonopod were related to carapace width as an independent variable. The growth was isometric with no significant difference in the carapace growth for male and female crabs. The size at onset of sexual maturity in males was estimated as 4.7 mm CW and it was 4.6 mm CW in females. The positive allometric growth of the abdominal width for the females was observed and is likely due to reproductive advantages forming the incubatory chamber. The positive relationship of cheliped length and the gonopod for male crabs were related to mating and other antagonistic behavioral adaptations. Key words: Allometry, relative growth, Ilyoplax frater, Dotillidae, morphometric. INTRODUCTION The relative growth in crustaceans has been widely studied because of their rigid exoskeleton and consequent discontinuous growth (Hartnoll, Ilyoplax crabs are the typical inhabitants of 1982; Du Preez and Maclachlan, 1984; Pinheiro and sub tidal and inter tidal mud flats of mangrove forest, Fransozo, 1993; Qureshi and Kazmi, 1999). belong to family Dotillidae (Kitaura and Wada, Hartnoll (1978) reported individual variation in the 2006).
    [Show full text]