ECOBIOLOGICAL STUDY ON BURROWING MUD LOBSTER THALASSINA ANOMALA (HERBST, 1804) (DECAPODA : THALASSINIDEA) IN THE INTERTIDAL MANGROVE MUDFLAT OF DELTAIC SUNDARBANS
Populations of mud lobster Thalassina anomala were studied on tidal flats in the Sagar island of Indian Sundarbans. Ecologically they are recognized as the 'friends of mangrove' and a 'Biological Marvel' of the system. They turn up the deep soil to the surface by regular night...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
West Bengal Veterinary Alumni Association
2012-07-01
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| Series: | Exploratory Animal and Medical Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.animalmedicalresearch.org/Vol.2_Issue-1_July_2012/S.%20K.%20Dubey.pdf |
| Summary: | Populations of mud lobster Thalassina anomala were studied on tidal flats in the
Sagar island of Indian Sundarbans. Ecologically they are recognized as the 'friends of mangrove'
and a 'Biological Marvel' of the system. They turn up the deep soil to the surface by regular night
shift burrowing exercise and help to import aerated tidal water in the burrows 2 to 2.5 meter deep.
They have extra ordinary morphological adaptation and structural changes and completely resort
to detritivore diet. Being thigmotactic it seldom exposes to atmospheric oxygen and forms its palace
underground with a central chamber having 5 to 6 radiated tunnels opening to the surface covered
with earth mounds. It displays its engineering skill of bioturbation in tunneling. During tunneling
the shrimp feeds on the mud packed with detritus and derived its required micronutrients. Being
mud dwelling and mud eating habits, it's respiratory and food manipulating apparatus underwent
transformations which demands intensive investigation. Thalassinid burrow associates comprising
mieo and microorganisms also provide good subject of study of species specific interaction, exchanging
of materials between associate partners. |
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| ISSN: | 2277-470X 2319-247X |