POPULATION ECOLOGY OF INTERTIDAL HERMIT CRAB Diogenes avarus (DECAPODA: ANOMURA) FROM A MUDDY COAST OF WESTERN INDIA

J.V. RAVAL¹, P. KACHHIYA², P. PORIYA³, R. KUNDU⁴*
¹Department of Biosciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study in Arid Zone Biology, Saurashtra University, Rajkot - 360 005, Gujarat, India. / Department of Biology, Christ College, Rajkot - 360 005, Gujarat, India.
²Department of Biosciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study in Arid Zone Biology, Saurashtra University, Rajkot - 360 005, Gujarat, India.
³Department of Biosciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study in Arid Zone Biology, Saurashtra University, Rajkot - 360 005, Gujarat, India.
⁴Department of Biosciences, UGC Centre of Advanced Study in Arid Zone Biology, Saurashtra University, Rajkot - 360 005, Gujarat, India.
* Corresponding Author : rskundu@sauuni.ernet.in

Received : 09-05-2015     Accepted : 11-06-2015     Published : 16-07-2015
Volume : 6     Issue : 1       Pages : 143 - 146
J Ecol Environ Sci 6.1 (2015):143-146

Keywords : hermit crab, anthropogenic pressure, mudflat, size group, Saurashtra coast, India
Academic Editor : Dr. Zarrien Ayub, Sharma Ravi, Lokeshwari N., Sharma Shaurya, Dr. Zarrien Ayub
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : The authors are thankful to the UGC, Government of India, for support through its CAS Programme. One of the authors (PP) is thankful to UGC, Government of India, for BSR Fellowship. Various related Government Agencies and non-Government organizations are

The present communication is focused on the population dynamics of intertidal hermit crab Diogenes avarus (Heller, 1865) from a muddy coast off Arabian Sea (Western India). The intertidal coast was divided into two micro sampling sites based on anthropogenic pressure. Site-A was devoid of anthropogenic pressure while, Site-B was anthropogenically disturbed site as a place of worship attracts huge number of people every week. Population density and abundance of three size groups S1 (3-9 mm), S2 (10-15 mm) and S3 (16-30 mm) of D. avarus were assessed for one year at these two micro sampling sites. Results of the present investigation revealed a healthy population of selected hermit crab species in this typical muddy shore. Results indicated that the site without anthropogenic pressure showed high population of hermit crabs. It was therefore, concluded that the observed spatial variations might be due to the human interference.