Habitat characteristics and relative abundance of the mud crab Scylla serrata (Forskål, 1775) in Lawele Bay, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

Based on similarity of natural features of salinity, turbidity, soil substrate, mangrove vegetations and intertidal flat of the stations studied, there were three habitats (A, B, and C) of Scylla serrata (Forskål, 1775) in Lawele Bay. The characteristics of habitat A were preferred by S. serrata since it had the highest relative abundance of S. serrata. With relative abundance of 11.87%, habitat B as transition habitat between habitats A and C was less preferred by S. serrata. The characteristics of habitat C were in contrary with habitat A and S. serrata caught was only 1.19%. The relative abundance of S. serrata at habitat A differed significantly with habitats B and C (p 0.05). It suggests that S. serrata tended to move forward at habitat A and occupying such habitat which was characterized by low salinity, high turbidity, the thickest mangrove vegetation, muddy substrate and the widest intertidal flat. The relative abundance of males was significantly different with females either during flood tide or ebb tide (p 0.05). It suggests that the relative abundance may depend on seasons but they are found all year round