A FIRST REPORT ON MUDLOBSTER (Thalassina anomala) AND ITS MOUND CHARACTERISTICS FROM SETIU WETLAND, TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Sustainability Science and Management
Abstract
Mudlobsters, belonging to the genus Thalassina are lesser known but are important
crustaceans of the mangrove ecosystem. Nine Thalassina species are found in the Indo-Asian
region, namely Thalassina kelanang, Thalassina anomala, Thalassina australiensis, Thalassina
gracilis, Thalassina krempf, Thalassina spinosa, Thalassina squamifera, Thalassina spinirostris and
Thalassina saetichelis. Thalassina spp. were once common in the nipah palm areas around Kuala
Terengganu until the areas were developed as residential and commercial areas. As such, this is the
frst report about the mudlobster in Terengganu, with samples collected from Setiu closely resembling
Thalassina anomala based on the morphological characteristics. The species is indigenous to Setiu
Wetland area, and was recorded from an area which was previously a forest of Melaleuca plants and
uninhibited by humans prior to development. The habitat was destroyed and make them move to the
agricultural area near by the canal. They become a pest because destroying the apical shoots of the
melon at night. In this study, the mudlobsters of Setiu Wetlands are reddish brown in color with total
body length of ranging from 18cm to 20cm long. The Thalassina species can be distinguished by
differences in morphology, namely the shape of carapace, rostrum and length of dorso-lateral carina.
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Keywords
Thalassina, indigenous species, pest, Setiu Wetland