Interpreting odours in hermit crabs: A comparative study

Odours of different sources can indicate to hermit crabs the availability of empty shells, crucial resources for the life cycle of almost all of them. Here, we compared Clibanarius erythropus and Pagurus bernhardus for the intensity of investigative behaviour exhibited towards an empty, well-fitting shell in the presence of (1) plain seawater as control and seawater conditioned by (2) dead and live snails, (3) dead and live conspecifics, (4) live predators, and (5) food. During 10 min of observation, we recorded latency (the time until the first contact with the shell), and the number and duration of shell investigation bouts. The two species behaved similarly when exposed to the odours of food, live snails, and predators, while a more intense shell investigation was induced by dead snail odour in C. erythropus and by dead or live conspecific odour in P. bernhardus. Further studies should investigate the influence of phylogeny and ecology on this interspecific difference.     

Movement patterns and trajectories of ovigerous blue crabs Callinectes sapidus during the spawning migration

Female blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun) migrate from low salinity estuarine regions to high salinity regions near the ocean to release larvae. During this migration, ovigerous females use ebb-tide transport, a vertical migratory behavior in which they ascend into the water column during ebb tides, to move seaward to larval release areas. In order to determine the relationship of ebb-tide vertical migrations to local currents and the influence of these vertical migrations on the horizontal transport of blue crabs in the estuary, ovigerous females with mature embryos (1–3 days from hatching) were tracked near Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina (USA), in July and August 2001 and 2002. Crabs were tagged and tracked using ultrasonic telemetry, and currents near the crabs were measured simultaneously with a shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler.During the two seasons, eight crabs were successfully tracked for periods ranging from 3.9–37.0 h and for distances ranging from 1.9–10.6 km. All crabs migrated seaward during the tracking periods. Crabs moved episodically during all tidal phases with periods of movement on the order of minutes to an hour. They moved with local currents in terms of both speed and direction during ebb tides, consistent with ebb-tide transport, and moved down-estuary (seaward) in opposition to local currents during flood tides. The percentage of time that crabs were active was higher during night ebb tides than during day ebb tides or flood tides and increased with increasing ebb-tide current speed. Mean migratory speeds were 0.11, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.02 m s⁻¹ during night ebb, night flood, day ebb and day flood tides, respectively, and net migratory speeds were on the order of 5 km day⁻¹. Due to the episodic nature of the crabs' movements, the total distances that crabs traveled during ebb tides ranged from 10–40% of the distances that passive particles could have traveled under the same conditions.     

Seasonal variability of leaf litter removal by crabs in a Kandelia candel mangrove forest in Jiulongjiang Estuary, China

The seasonal variability of leaf litter removal by crabs was observed from May 2006 to April 2007 in a Kandelia candel mangrove forest in Jiulongjiang Estuary, China. Daily average quantities of leaf fall ranged 0.85–3.86 gDW m⁻² d⁻¹, with high values in May, August, October and November. The whole-year's leaf fall was 6.48 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (1.81 gDW m⁻² d⁻¹). The standing stock of leaf litter on the forest floor was 7.78 gDW m⁻² averaged from the whole year's data, with the lowest value in December (1.23 gDW m⁻²) and the highest in April (16.18 gDW m⁻²). Annually averaged removal (consumption on mangrove floor + burial in burrows) rate of leaf litter by crabs was 0.59 gDW m⁻² d⁻¹. High seasonal variability was observed in the removal rates of leaf litter by crabs. Removal rates in the winter months (December, January and February) were 0.07–0.09 gDW m⁻² d⁻¹, much lower than those in other months with values of 0.59–1.18 gDW m⁻² d⁻¹. Annually averaged percentage of leaf fall removed by crabs was 33%, with the highest values in September (reached 76%) and the lowest values in winter months. Of leaf litter removed by crabs, a large proportion was buried by crabs, and only 12% was consumed by crabs on the forest floor. Leaf litter removal rate, consumption rate on the forest floor, percentages of leaf fall and standing stock removed on the forest floor were significantly positively correlated with air temperature, indicating that leaf removal ability by crabs was higher in warm months than in cold months.     

Leaf removal by sesarmid crabs in Bangrong mangrove forest, Phuket, Thailand; with emphasis on the feeding ecology of Neoepisesarma versicolor

Field measurements on leaf removal by populations of sesarmid crabs at different locations in the Bangrong mangrove forest, Phuket, Thailand, indicated that crabs on average can remove 87% of the daily leaf litter fall by ingestion or burial. The removal rate is correlated positively with the number of crab burrows and negatively with tidal inundation time. The results from the field were supplemented with observations on the behavior of Neoepisesarma versicolor in laboratory microcosms and a mangrove mesocosm. N. versicolor feeds primarily at night and total time spent feeding was up to an order of magnitude higher in the artificial microcosms than under simulated in situ conditions in the mesocosm. Most of the time during both day and night was spent resting near the entrance or inside burrows. N. versicolor mainly feeds on mangrove leaves and scraps of food material from the sediment surface. This is supported by examinations of stomach content, which showed that 62% is composed of higher plant material and 38% of detritus and mineral particles from the sediment. The nutritive value of leaves and detritus is insufficient to maintain crab growth. Sesarmid crabs may instead obtain the needed nutrients by occasional consumption of nitrogen-rich animal tissues, such as carcasses of fish and crustaceans, as indicated by the presence of animal remains in the stomach and the willingness of crabs to consume fish meat. Laboratory experiments on leaf consumption and leaf preferences of N. versicolor indicate that they preferentially feed on brown leaves, if available, followed by green and yellow leaves. If all species of sesarmid crabs in the Bangrong mangrove forest consume leaves at the same rate as N. versicolor, they could potentially ingest 52% of the total litter fall.     

Accumulation of Cu and Zn in discarded antifouling paint particles by the marine gastropod, Littorina littorea

The short-term (5 day) accumulation of Cu and Zn in different tissues of the marine gastropod, Littorina littorea, has been studied in the presence of 10 mg l⁻¹ of antifouling paint particles and pre- or simultaneously contaminated algal food (Ulva lactuca). Accumulation of Cu was observed in the head–foot, digestive gland–gonad complex and gills to extents dependent on how and when food was contaminated and administered. However, retention of Zn was only observed in the gills and only when L. littorea and U. lactuca were simultaneously exposed to paint particles. Relative to the alga, faecal material was highly enriched in Zn, suggesting that the animal is able to rapidly eliminate this metal, most likely through the formation and egestion of insoluble phosphate granules. Thus, L. littorea is a useful biomonitor of marine contamination by antifouling applications in respect of Cu but not Zn.     

福建沿海米氏凯伦藻赤潮对皱纹盘鲍鳃组织抗氧化酶活性的影响研究

本文初步研究了在较低赤潮密度(低于107个/m L)下,一株米氏凯伦藻(Karenia mikimotoi)对皱纹盘鲍(Haliotis discus hannai)鳃内几种抗氧化酶,如超氧化物歧化酶(Superoxide dismutase,SOD)、过氧化氢酶(Catalase,CAT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(Glutathione peroxidase,GSH-Px)的毒性效应,以期分析米氏凯伦藻对鲍鱼生命活动可能的胁迫方式。研究表明,米氏凯伦藻对SOD、CAT酶活性均造成不利影响,并未对GSH-Px酶造成不利影响,其酶活性显著高于对照组。米氏凯伦藻对SOD酶活性的影响表现为"先诱导后抑制"效应,24 h内,各处理组(0.1个/m L,0.5个/m L,1.0×104个/m L)中,酶活性急剧增高,分别是对照组的1.2,1.3,1.3倍,之后酶活性迅速下降,分别是对照组的77%,77%,73%。SOD能够清除机体体内多余的自由基,其活力变化反映了机体抵制自由基损伤能力已受到明显抑制。此外,米氏凯伦藻处理组中,CAT酶活性则处于"被抑制"状态,48 h内酶活性持续下降,分别降低至对照组的58%,51%,37%。CAT可以清除SOD歧化超氧阴离子自由基产生的H2O2,其活力的下降也可能造成机体内过氧化物的累积及氧化损伤。结果表明,即使未达到较高赤潮密度(不超过107个/m L)时,米氏凯伦藻短时间内仍可对鲍鱼鳃内关键抗氧化酶活性造成显著抑制效应,这极有可能导致鲍鱼机体抗氧化系统遭受严重损伤。     

Salinity tolerance of northern Brazilian mangrove crab larvae, Ucides cordatus (Ocypodidae): Necessity for larval export?

The life cycle of the semiterrestrial mangrove crab Ucides cordatus includes pelagic larvae that are released into estuarine waters during the wet season and who may thus encounter potentially stressful low and variable salinity conditions. The effect of salinity on the survival of the zoea larvae, the number of zoeal stages and the duration of development from hatching to megalopa was experimentally studied by rearing larvae from the Caeté estuary, Northern Brazil, in seven salinity treatments (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30). For a better interpretation of the laboratory results, estuarine salinities were measured over five consecutive years during the species' reproductive season. The survival of the zoea larvae varied significantly with salinity, while the number of stages and the duration of their development remained constant. Development to megalopa took 20.77 ± 1.57 days and comprised five zoeal stages with ZI and ZII being euryhaline and later stages stenohaline. The newly hatched larvae stayed alive for up to 6 days in freshwater (average 4.32 ± 0.82 days), but did not moult to the second zoeal stage. ZII larvae first occurred from salinity 5 onwards and later zoeal stages at all tested salinities ≥10. However, the larvae only survived to megalopa at salinities ≥15, with highest numbers at salinity 30 (72%) and lowest at 15 (16%). Lethal salinities ≤10 occurred frequently in the estuary during the reproductive season. This suggests a need for larval export to offshore and thus more saline waters to allow for significant larval survival and maintenance of viable populations of this commercially important species. A regional rather than local approach for management is suggested due to the likelihood of long distance larval dispersal by offshore currents.     

Impacts of Habitat Complexity on Physiology: Purple Shore Crabs Tolerate Osmotic Stress for Shelter

Purple shore crabs, Hemigrapsus nudus (Crustacea: Decapoda), can survive indefinitely in salinities of 8 (25% SW), but also tolerate short-term exposure to salinities as low as 2. In the laboratory their salinity preference range, determined from choice chamber experiments, is 22–32 and they can discriminate between pairs of salinities separated by a difference of 2. These crabs show a strong positive thigmotaxis and a weak negative phototaxis and tend to choose environments with available shelter. The presence of shelter significantly alters the behaviour of this species. When shelter is available the salinity preference range is 10–32. Even in salinities below this preference range, the presence of shelter prolongs the time spent in the lower test salinities. This change in behaviour has implications on the crab's physiology: the haemolymph osmolality falls to lower levels when crabs remain in low salinity under shelters. In the field, H. nudus is found in creeks with salinities close to freshwater and they may remain in this salinity for up to 11 h, if there are rocks under which to shelter. An increase in habitat complexity increases the number of crabs that are found within the creek. These crabs in the low salinity environment have a lower haemolymph osmolality than crabs on the nearby open shore. In H. nudus the behavioural selection of a shelter appears to outweigh the physiological costs associated with osmotic regulation of the body fluids. Therefore, the distribution of H. nudus in estuaries may depend more on the availability of suitable habitats rather than the salinity tolerance of this species.     

Effect of crab size and habitat type on the locomotory activity of juvenile shore crabs, Carcinus maenas

Post-settlement processes are a major focus in the study of the dynamics of marine populations and communities. Post-settlement movement of juveniles is an important, but often ignored, process which affects local predator–prey and competitive interactions. We used benthic suction sampling and pitfall traps to examine density and locomotory activity of Carcinus maenas juveniles in different intertidal habitat types in the Rio Mira Estuary, Portugal, to better understand intra-specific interactions in a system where density-dependent processes are known to regulate population dynamics. As expected, significantly higher densities of juvenile shore crabs were found from bare mud compared to densely vegetated habitats. At the time of sampling, small and intermediate stages together outnumbered by far the larger juveniles. Conversely, larger crabs were much more frequent than smaller ones in traps. A locomotory index (LI), i.e. the ratio between crab catch in pitfall traps and their density within their moving range, is proposed as a measure of movement. LI analyses indicated that: (1) movement is an order of magnitude higher in large than small juveniles and much higher in sparse than dense vegetation cover; (2) activity of small juveniles is mostly crepuscular, regardless of vegetation cover; and (3) movement of large juveniles is very limited in dense Zostera patches, but very high in sparsely vegetated areas, during the day and night. These results suggest that small juveniles are relatively protected under dense vegetation cover due to lower mobility of larger crabs, and provide evidence of temporal segregation of activity windows between juvenile crabs of different sizes, which may be a key mechanism to reduce cannibalism and therefore increase the carrying capacity of nursery habitats.     

The effect of salinity on clearance rate in the suspension-feeding estuarine gastropod Crepipatella dilatata under natural and controlled conditions

The suspension-feeding gastropod Crepipatella dilatata occurs in estuaries in southern Chile that experience considerable fluctuations in salinity, driven by tidal and atmospheric forces. In the Quempillén estuary salinities as low as 9 psu may occur after severe rainstorms, and persist for several hours. In this study salinity was the major factor influencing the clearance rate of C. dilatata. At salinities below 20 psu, filtration ceased, whereas at high salinities (>22 psu) mean clearance rate was 0.24 l h⁻¹ standard animal⁻¹ (S.D. 0.18) for actively filtering individuals. This was confirmed by laboratory experiments under controlled conditions. Endoscopic observations were consistent with measurements of clearance rate, and showed that at salinity 25–30 psu the rate of transport along the gill filaments of particulate material embedded in mucus was 759 μm s⁻¹ (S.D. 480), but particle transport ceased at and below salinity 20 psu. Complete or partial isolation of the mantle cavity from the environment may be a mechanism to protect soft tissues and/or incubated egg capsules from osmotic stress.     

Seasonal abundance, distribution and recruitment of mud crabs (Scylla spp.) in replanted mangroves

The abundance and distribution of mud crabs were studied in a replanted mangrove forest in Buswang, Aklan, Philippines. Two fishing gears, lift nets and bamboo traps, were used to monitor relative abundance of Scylla spp. populations from March 2002 to December 2003 inside the mangrove forest. A third gear, a stakenet set across a creek, was used to monitor crabs migrating out of the mangroves during the ebb tide. Scylla olivacea formed 99.3% and 70.3% of the catch in the mangrove and the stakenet, respectively. The percentage of Scylla tranquebarica increased from <1% in the mangrove catches to 29% in the stakenet. Scylla serrata was present at very low levels in both catches. The lack of modal progression in the size–frequency plots and the year-round catch rate of gravid females suggested that recruitment was constant throughout the year. Even though relative abundance decreased over the study period indicating that the stock is being over-exploited, mud crab production is more than equivalent to that of most natural mangroves.     

Effect on marine sediment nitrogen fluxes caused by organic matter enrichment with varying organic carbon structure and nitrogen content

Enrichments with five types of organic carbon, differing in nitrogen content and type of organic carbon, were made to a marine sediment in order to study effects on nitrogen fluxes. The enrichments used were Ulva lactuca, Ascophyllum nodosum, Zostera marina, Ceratium spp., lignin, and mixtures of U. lactuca and A. nodosum. Fluxes of ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate were measured in short-term (48 h) microcosm experiments, using a carbon enrichment loading similar to that at the sampling site. Changes in microbial community growth and structure due to three types enrichments were also detected using molecular methods in a microcosm experiment run for 4 days to allow for detection at DNA-level.Ammonium fluxes changed from an efflux in the control to an influx for all enrichments apart from U. lactuca. The change was significantly related to the added material's C:N ratio when Ceratium spp. was excluded. All enrichments induced an influx of nitrate suggesting the formation of anoxic micro zones, but there was no relationship with C:N ratio. Instead, the magnitude of the nitrate influx is suggested to be related to the structure of the organic carbon, where enrichments containing a large pool of cellulose and lignin (Z. marina and lignin) gave rise to a lower influx, compared to algal material with more easily degraded organic matter like lipids and starch, which induced the highest influx of nitrate (Ceratium spp., U. lactuca, and A. nodosum). The occurrence of an ammonium influx together with increased nitrate influx and a lower efflux of phosphate in the enrichments suggests a growth of heterotrophic bacteria. This was also confirmed using molecular methods (PCR-DGGE) where the relative abundance of bacterial species in the enrichments increased.The sum of ammonium and nitrate fluxes showed that total nitrogen removal was enhanced in all enrichments compared to the nonenriched control sediment, but in different ways. Ceratium spp. induced the highest removal followed by A. nodosum, U. lactuca, Z. marina, and lastly, by lignin. The same pattern was observed also in a second experiment. These results indicate that easily degradable organic carbon, together with a lower C:N ratio of the added material, will remove nitrogen from the water phase, making the recycling of nitrogen to the overlying water mass smaller.     

南海蜑螺科一新记录属和一新记录种记述 (软体动物门:腹足纲:珍珠蜑螺目)

作者在整理中国科学院海洋生物标本馆馆藏蜑螺科Neritidae标本时,鉴定出产自海南三亚的一新记录属饰纹蜑螺属Vittina Baker,1924和一新记录种：裂蜑螺Vittina pennata（von Born,1778）。文中详细描述了本种的贝壳形态特征,查明了其生活习性和地理分布特点,并与相似种进行了比较和总结。     

Depth Correlated Benthic Faunal Quantity and Infaunal Burrow Structures on the Slopes of a Marine Depression

In the northern part of the Kattegat, western Sweden, a series of marine depressions remain since the last glaciation. One of these, the well-oxygenated Alkor Deep, is about 3 km long and 800 m wide and with a depth of 138 m. Random depth-stratified sampling was made along four transects on the slopes including benthic macrofauna (0·1 m²grab samples) and sediment profile imaging. A significant positive correlation was found between depth and the faunal variables abundance and biomass. Deposit feeders such as Maldane sarsi, Heteromastus filiformis andAbra alba were among the dominants and may have been supported by down-slope advected organic material. In many images, pockets and extensive burrows were seen in the sediment that appeared to be constructed by the crustaceans Calocaris macandreae and Maera loveni. The ecological significance of their irrigation of the sediment is discussed. Due to the faunal activity deep down in the sediments of the slopes, the mean apparent redox potential discontinuity (RPD) was found as deep as between 8·0 and 11·3 cm depth, and RPD was significantly positively correlated with water depth. On the slopes there appears to be a balance between the input of organic material and the capacity of the benthic organisms to assimilate that carbon.     

Contrasting shell morphology, ingestion and grazing preferences in the neritid gastropod Smaragdia viridis (L.) on two seagrass species

The neritid Smaragdia viridis represents the only known native marine mollusc that feeds on seagrass tissues in the European coasts, displaying a strong association with the seagrasses Cymodocea nodosa and Zostera marina in southern Spain. Seasonal dynamics, shell and radular morphology, growth and feeding of this gastropod have been studied in relation to each seagrass species for contrasting trends resulting from a different type of substrate and food source. In both seagrass species, stable populations of this gastropod occur at similar densities and displaying similar growth rates. Nevertheless shells of individuals from C. nodosa are narrower than those from Z. marina and some differences, possibly a consequence of increased wearing on C. nodosa, were noted amongst the radulae. In C. nodosa, a pre-ingestive selection for young epidermal tissues occurs as it was previously observed in Z. marina. The ingestion rate is higher in C. nodosa than in Z. marina but the absorption of ingested tissues is lower in the former. If both seagrasses are present, most individuals ingested preferentially Z. marina rather than C. nodosa, probably due to the lower digestibility of the epidermal tissues in the latter. Seagrass beds, especially those of Z. marina, are suffering a strong regression in southern Spain and the presence of stable populations of this neritid may be restricted to other declining seagrass species in the area.     

中国东海和南海4个真虾(甲壳动物亚门:十足目:真虾下目)新记录种

采集自中国东海和南海的4个真虾物种,经研究发现为中国海域的新记录物种,即凯氏鞭腕虾（Lysmata kempi Chace,1997）,利普克鞭腕虾（Lysmata lipkei Okuno&Fiedler,2010）;透明近绿虾（Chlorocurtis jactans（Nobili,1904））和黑斑活额虾（Rhynchocinetes conspiciocellus Okuno&Takeda,1992）。本文描述了这四个物种的形态特征,编制了检索表,并对其分类地位进行了讨论。     

Ecological performance and possible origin of a ubiquitous but under-studied gastropod

Invasions by non-indigenous species (NIS) have been suggested to alter local, regional and global biota on unprecedented scales. To manage NIS, it is pivotal to identify whether a species is introduced or native, but even today the geographical origin of thousands of species worldwide remain uncertain. Most of these ‘cryptogenic species’ are inconspicuous and rare, but in a few instances, they can also be abundant and conspicuous species, with large impacts on community structure. The identification of cryptogenic species, and summarizing information on their most likely origin, is an important task in invasion biology, and can highlight the need for research and management. Here, we document that the gastropod Batillaria australis in the Swan River estuary (Perth, Western Australia) is a conspicuous species of uncertain origin. A literature review combined with new survey data revealed that all evidence point to a recent human-mediated transfer; for example, it is absent from the fossil record, was first collected in 1954, has a low parasite diversity, has increased its population size dramatically in recent times, is separated by >3000 km from conspecifics, has no long-distance dispersal mechanisms, and existing ocean currents run against a natural range extension. Surprisingly, despite political and scientific focus on NIS hardly any ecological data have been published on this species from Western Australia. We show that B. australis is highly abundant in both seagrass beds (424 ± 29 ind m⁻²) and on unvegetated sand flats (92 ± 22 ind m⁻²) being orders of magnitudes more abundant than any native gastropod in the Swan River. Experiments showed that high resistance to predation and environmental stress potentially explains its success. From our survey data, we calculated that >3.6 billion invasive snails today occupy the Swan River. This large snail populations support other organisms; for example, almost 1 billion macroalgae are found attached to living B. australis and >100 million hermit crabs occupy its empty shells. Given Battilaria’s high abundance, wide distribution, large size, persistent shells that support other organisms and bioturbating behavior, it seems inescapable that this potential invader has impacted the ecosystem functioning of the Swan River. We argue that the search for abundant species of uncertain origin should continue, and that these species generally should be treated with the same interest as high status invaders to mitigate impacts in already invaded systems and to avoid secondary spread into neighboring ecosystems.     

经济海藻繁育、养殖及综合利用的回顾与展望

经济海藻繁育、养殖及综合利用是海洋农牧业及工业的重要组成部分。20世纪经过几代人的努力,我国在海带、紫菜、裙带菜及龙须菜的繁育、养殖关键技术等方面成功取得突破,为这些海藻的产业化提供坚实的保障,为我国成为世界海藻大国奠定了基础。海藻养殖产业为人们提供了食品、藻胶及其它丰富的产品,这包括保健品、功能食品、化妆品及药物等。海藻养殖产业也对人类经济、社会的发展起到重要作用,通过吸收环境中的二氧化碳、氮和磷,为海洋生态环境的改善发挥了重要作用。本文对我国海藻繁育、养殖及综合开发的历程进行简要回顾,对当前我国、中国科学院海洋研究海藻研究与应用进行了总结,对海藻研究发展的未来进行了展望;适应海藻产业从量向质的方向转变,同时兼顾生态环境效益,为我国海藻研发及应用提供参考。     

中国海域长眼寄居蟹属两个新记录种

在我国南海海域大型底栖生物进行分类和多样性研究中,发现我国长眼寄居蟹属2个新记录种,紫斑长眼寄居蟹(Paguristes gonagrus)和条纹长眼寄居蟹(Paguristes runyanae),并对其进行描述。紫斑长眼寄居蟹采集自海南岛,主要特征为：螯足和步足密布刚毛,第一触角柄未达到角膜基部,螯足腕节、掌节背面刺和突起密集而发达,螯足和第二、三步足长节末端有紫色色斑;条纹长眼寄居蟹采集于西沙群岛,主要特征为：右螯足略大于左螯足,第一触角柄短,长度仅为眼柄长度的1/2,螯足和第二、三步足背腹面均有黄色条纹。     

Diversity and abundance of mangrove fiddle crabs, genus Uca (Decapoda, Ocypodidae) at a mangrove in Kema, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Mangrove ecosystems are sites with high biodiversity of benthic fauna, and fiddler crabs (genus Uca) are common benthic fauna in mangroves. The North Sulawesi in Indonesia has a good condition of mangrove while the information of the fiddler crabs is still limited. Manual samplings were conducted in wet, dry and transient seasons at a mangrove in Kema, North Sulawesi to investigate the species composition, density and distribution pattern of fiddler crabs. A total of 168 individuals, subjected to eight species of genus Uca crabs were collected at the mangrove, with U. triangularis having the highest abundance and U. annulipes having the lowest abundance. The densities of fiddle crabs were 27.56 ind./m², 32.89 ind./m² and 14.22 ind./m² at the seaward, middle and landward zones, respectively, and the density was higher in dry and wet seasons than in transient season.