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Selective crab species distribution in intertidal regions of Andaman islands,

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Selective crab species distribution
in intertidal regions of Andaman islands, India
P. M. Mohan1*, Nida Quraishi, M. Muruganantham and D. B. B. Sabith
Abstract: The intertidal regions of the South, Middle and North Andaman was studied for the selective
crab species and its occurrence. Significant presence of six species was found in this environment. The
studied six species Ranina ranina, Matuta victor, Calappa hepatica, Leucosia craniolaris, Pilumnus vespertilio and
Neopetrolisthes alobatus exhibited in the Middle and North Andaman intertidal waters. Out of these six
species, the species Ranina ranina has been considered a major fishery resource in Australia and
Philippines, the only species available in this genus. This species may be considered as a living resource for
the Andaman Islands fisher community. Matuta victor was reported by Alcock (1896) and Galil and Clark
(1995) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, any other recent study was not reported on this species
in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The present study identified this species from Rangat, Mayabunder and
Wandoor intertidal regions. Calappa hepatica was identified by Kumaralingam et al. (2017) at Burmanalla,
south Andaman regions. The present study identified this species in Mayabunder and Carbyns Cove
intertidal regions. Leucosia craniolaris is not reported earlier in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The present
study reported from Mayabunder may be considered as the first report in Andaman Islands. Pilumnus
vespertilio was reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands by Alcock (1896). The recent work by
Kumaralingam et al. (2017) reported from Kalapatthar, Little Andaman. The present study was reported
from Mayabunder. Neopetrolisthes alobatus was not reported from Andaman as well as Indian marine
environment. This study identified this species from Diglipur and recorded as a first record from Indian
marine environment.
Keywords. Intertidal, Crab Species, South Andaman, Middle Andaman, North Andaman, India

Introduction
Crustacean is a Subphylum of Arthropoda, a group of invertebrates consisting of around 67,000
species distributed worldwide (Martin and Davis 2001; Ahyong et al. 2011). In India, 2934 plus
species of crustaceans so far reported, representing about 8.2% of total crustacean diversity
(Venkataraman, 1998). Crustaceans are categorized into major groups: Branciopods,
Maxillopods, Ostracods and Malacostraca. The Malacostraca are further divided into five groups
of decapods (e.g. crabs, shrimp, spiny or slipper lobsters and squat lobsters), stomatopods (mantis
shrimp). Crustaceans are invertebrates with a hard exoskeleton (carapace), the body is segmented
and bilaterally symmetrical, more than four pairs of jointed appen

is a straight tube is used for grinding food and a pair of digestive glands. Gills are used for
respiration and they have a pair of green glands (found near the base of the antennae) to excrete
waste. The crustaceans are known for their remarkable adaptations. Some of the Indian forms
living in the sea are littoral, others pelagic and some are abyssal descending down to great depths
of the sea. Some of them are adapted to live on land and a few survive in deep caves. But the
diversity and abundance are more in the rocky intertidal zone along the coast and in the coral
reef ecosystem.

1
Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University
Brookshabad Campus, Port Blair 744 112,Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
*
Email: pmmnpu@rediffmail.com; pmmtu@yahoo.com
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Chapter 17: Selective crab species distribution in intertidal regions of Andaman Islands, India

External Morphology
Crustacean body consists of a number of segments or somites. These somites are fused to form
rigid areas. The appendages are also jointed with flexible articulations. In the class Malacostraca,
which includes the Decapods, a consistent body plan is observed.
Classification
Subphylum Crustacea
The two pairs of sensory appendages are in front of the mouth and three pairs of jaws behind the
maxillipeds. About 45,000 species of aquatic crustaceans are known.
Class Malacostraca
Malacostraca is the leading class of crustaceans with more than 25,000 species, which includes
decapods crabs, lobsters and shrimps. The head with 5 segments, thorax with 8 segments and an
abdomen with usually 6 segments; head has 5 segments, with a pair of antennules and a pair of
antennae, as well as 3 mouth parts, comprising of the mandibles, the maxilulla and the maxilla; 8
thoracic segments. The cephalothorax is enclosed by a hard exoskeleton (carapace) by the fusion
of 3 segments. They frequently have 8 pairs of thoracic legs of which the first pair or several pairs
are often modified into feeding appendages called maxillipeds. The first pair of legs is behind the
maxillipeds which are often modified into pincers. The abdomen has 6 segments. The
appendages are called pleopods and are usually used for swimming. Genital openings on the
sixth segment of the female and on the eighth segment of the male; stalked or non-stalked eyes;
two chambered stomach and internal gills; centralized nervous system with a large brain and
ventral nerve cord (Kumaralingam et al., 2017).
True crabs / Brachyura
True crabs are decapods crustaceans that belong to the infraorder Brachyura. They have a very
s are completely hidden under the thorax. There
are almost 7,000 species of true crabs with over 800 species of freshwater. Other animals such as
hermit crabs, king crabs, porcelain crabs, horseshoe crabs and crab lice do not belong to
Brachyura, the true crabs. All crabs have one pair of pincers (chelipeds) and four pairs of walking
legs, the first pair of legs on a crab has used for holding and carrying food, digging, cracking open
shells and warning off would be attackers. The carapace protects the internal organs of the head,
thorax and gills. The eyes are on the ends of short stalks and the mouth parts are series of pairs of
short legs, specialized to manipulate and chew food. The abdomen is small and tightly held
under the body. Sexes are separate and the size of the abdomen distinguishes those
(Kumaralingam et al., 2017).
Intertidal Crabs
Intertidal crabs inhabit in two environmental regimes. The marine intertidal zone is the area
between the highest high tide mark and the lowest low tide mark, in a coastal zone within the
transition from land to sea, and accordingly, organisms that live within this zone are exposed to
water during high tides and land conditions during low tides. Organisms living in the intertidal
zone experience a suite of physical stresses, including fluctuations in temperature, aerial
exposure, salinity changes, and hydrodynamic forces. Most of the intertidal crab species are
active only when covered by water, and are well hidden during low tide. Some species,
however,become active in the air when the tide has receded and will forage across the reef flat

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 Frontiers in benthic science
during the day and at night. These crabs maybe found in different environments like coral reefs,
sandy beaches, mangroves and marsheshave adapted themselves accordingly, for e.g. presence of
oar-like appendages for swimming, body covered with hairlike setae for camouflage; modified
pincers specialized for cracking molluscan shells, etc.
Materials and Methods
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the main Union Territories of India located in the Bay
of Bengal. It comprises of two island groups- the Andaman group of Islands and the Nicobar
group of Islands, which separate the Andaman Sea from the Bay of Bengal. The Andaman
93°E) are the emerged part of a mountain chain and lie on a
ridge, which extends southwards from the Irrawaddy delta area of Burma. Andaman and
Nicobar Islands (6°30 94°E) are high islands forming the southward extension
of this mountain chain. Floating in splendid isolation, east of the Indian mainland, it is the
archipelago of 572 emerald islands, islets and rocks known as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
This Union Territory is spread over a distance nearly 800 km from North to South with 38
inhabited islands. The samples were collected from the different intertidal environments of the
South, Middle and North Andaman (Fig. 1), and selected crab species which had not frequently
come across much of the literature were selected and identified in this study.

Fig.1. Study Area

Results
The intertidal regions of the South, Middle and North Andaman were studied for the selective
Crab species and its occurrence. It was found that there were six species which a significant
presence in this environment. Those species were discussed for its taxonomy and its
environment of existence in these Islands.
Ranina ranina (Linnaeus, 1758)
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
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Chapter 17: Selective crab species distribution in intertidal regions of Andaman Islands, India
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Superfamily: Raninoidea
Family: Raninidae
Genus: Ranina
Species: Ranina ranina - (Fig.2A, 2B)
Specimen Number: DOSMB 03001
Synonyms:
Cancer raninus Linnaeus 1758, Syst. Nat. ed. 10, p. 625.
Ranina dentata H. Milne Edwards 1837, Histoire Naturelle des Crustaces, p.194.
Ranina ranina Rathbun 1902, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 39.
Ranina serrata Borradaile 1903, Fauna. Geog. Maldive and Laccadive Archipel.(2) 1, p. 435,
pl. 22, fig. 5.
Ranina scabra Stebbing 1910, Ann. S. African Mus., 6, p. 339.
Ranina ranina Sakai 1976, Crabs of Japan and the Adjacent Seas, p. 48 & 49.
Jeyabaskaran and AjmalKhan 2002, Brachyuran Crabs of Gulf of Mannar, p.
46, pl. 30.
Diagnostic Characters: Carapace longitudinally ovate; dorsal surface strongly granulose or
squamose to smooth; front triangular, narrow. Third maxillipeds very narrow, merusdistinctly
triangular. Eyestalks long, longer thanfront. At least one pair of legs with last 2 or 3 segments
paddle-like.Thoracic sternum very narrow, especially sternites 5 to 7. All male abdominal
segments distinct, movable.
Habitat and Biology: Spanner crabs burrow in soft substrates and tend to occur in moderately
shallower waters. They are absent or rare in continental shelf waters and prefer more saline
waters. They feed on a variety of worms and soft-shelled molluscs. Most species are moderately
small and are not often encountered. A single species, Ranina ranina, is large and abundant
enough to be fished commercially.
Diagnostic characters: Carapace very elongate, much longer than broad; anterior part much
broader than narrow, posterior part waist-like. Abdomen clearly visible from dorsal view. Chelae
greatly outsized in males; chelae and legs laterally flattened, spade-like.
Colour: Orange to red overall.
Size: Maximum carapace length 15 cm (males) and 12 cm (females); weight up to 900 g (males)
and 400 g (females).

Fig. 2A Ranina ranina - Dorsal Fig. 2B Ranina ranina - Ventral

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 Frontiers in benthic science
Fisheries: Mainly in more oceanic waters, but also in intertidal waters, to depths of more than
100 m, with preference for open sandy areas. Harvested throughout its range, taken by trawls,
dredges, baited tangle nets, and bottom nets. A widely exploited species in the Philippines,
eastern Indonesia, East Asia, and eastern and northern Australia. The fishery for Ranina ranina
in Australia has grown substantially in the 1980s and is probably one of the largest for this
species, with almost 700t landed in Queensland and New South Wales from 1989 to 1990. Large
specimens command very high prices, especially in live-seafood markets. Prices in Australia
amount to about US$2 to US$3 per kg, while live specimens in Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan
Province of China are sold for US$5 to US$10 per kg. The fishery for this species is managed in
Australia but not elsewhere.
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific, including Australia, Guam, New Caledonia, and Hawaii
Present Study: Rangat
Remarks: The fishery of this species may be developed in this Island for lively hood.

Matuta victor (Fabricius, 1781)

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Superfamily: Calappoidea
Family: Matutidae
Genus: Matuta
Species: Matuta victor - (Fig.3A, 3B)
Specimen Number: DOSMB 03002
Synonyms:
Cancer victor Fabricius, 1781
Matuta lesueurii Leach, 1817
Matuta peronii Leach, 1817
Matuta victrix crebripunctata Miers, 1877

Fig.3A Matuta victor Dorsal Fig.3B Matuta victor - Ventral

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Chapter 17: Selective crab species distribution in intertidal regions of Andaman Islands, India
Diagnostic characters: Carapace rounded, with 2 long, well-developed lateral spines;
anterolateral margins gently serrated. Outer surface of palm with low but distinct oblique ridge.
Colour: Flesh colour with numerous fine spots and several larger ones on carapace; legs and
chelae yellowish.
Size: Maximum carapace width 5 cm (excluding lateral spines).
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Prefers sandy areas, from the intertidal zone to depths of about 20
m. Often caught by local communities in nets, by hand, or beach seines.
Distribution: Southeast Asia to Philippines, New Caledonia, Fiji, and New Hebrides.
Present Study: Rangat, Mayabunder and Mayabunder
Remarks: The identity of Matuta victor has been badly confused with Ashtoret lunaris (Forsskål,
1775) and Matuta banksii Leach, 1817. The recent revision by Galil and Clark (1994) has shown
that the type material of Cancer lunaris Forsskål, 1775, is mixed and Matuta banksiis in fact a
junior synonym of Ashtoret lunaris. The common Indo-West Pacific species with the carapace
pattern of fine black spots which has been identified at one time or another as Matuta lunaris, M.
victor, or M. banksii, is actually either Matuta victor or Ashtoret lunaris. It is an invasive species of
Mediterranean Sea due to the enlargement of Suez Canal.

Calappa hepatica (Linnaeus, 1758)

Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Subclass: Eumalacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Family: Calappidae
Genus: Calappa
Species: Calappa hepatica - (Fig.4A, 4B)
Specimen Number: DOSMB 03003

Synonyms:
Calappa spinocissima Adams in Belcher, 1848 (incorrect spelling)
Calappa spinosissima H. Milne Edwards, 1837
Calappa tuberculosa Guerin, 1832
Calappa sandwichien Eydoux & Souleyet, 1842 (not available, not in Latin)
Cancer afata Curtiss, 1938
Cancer hepatica Linnaeus, 1758
Cancer tuberculatus Herbst, 1785

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 Frontiers in benthic science

Fig.4A Calappa hepatica Dorsal Fig. 4B Calappa hepatica - Ventral

Diagnostic Characters: Maximum carapace width is 8cm. This species found in sandy and shelly
substrates, often in reefs and among sea grass beds, from the intertidal zone to a depth of about
100 m. collected for food, occasionally by hand or in traps. Indo-West Pacific, reaching
Australia, Hawaii, and French Polynesia. This species can be identified by the length of carapace
being rather more than half of its extreme width; clypeiform expansions with broad teeth.
Carapace covered with rounded tubercles on the anterior two-thirds. These small, wart-like
bumps on the carapace and claws gives it a beaded appearance enabling it to blend with its sandy
surroundings.
Colour: Colour varies from pale olive to olive-grey or olive-yellow, with flecking but not strong
markings. Legs are hidden under expanded flange at the back of the shell.
Size: Carapace much broader than long, egg-like, length to width ratio 1.5 1.7; posterolateral
margin appears rounded or with 2 3 very sharp spines on each side; life colour a uniform
yellowish-grey to grey or greenish.
Habitat, Biology and Fisheries: Found on sandy shelly substrate, 10-50 meters deep, often in
reefs and among seagrass beds. Is a predatory carnivore with a specialized malacophage, with
chela designed for crushing and feeds upon gastropods. Its pincers are specialized for cracking
open snail shell. Carapace is transversely oval with wing-like projections over the spindly-
walking legs. Attains a carapace width of 3 inches.
Distribution: Found in Japan, tropical and subtropical Australia, Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific
from the Red sea to Clipperton island, East Pacific. In India it is found in the Lakshwadeep and
Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Present Study: Mayabunder and Carbyns Cove
Remarks: Calappa hepatica is listed as Vulnerable in the Red Data List of threatened animals of
Singapore.
Leucosia craniolaris (Linneaus, 1758)
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura

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Chapter 17: Selective crab species distribution in intertidal regions of Andaman Islands, India
Family: Leucosiidae
Genus: Leucosia
Species: Leucosia craniolaris- (Fig.5A, 5B)
Specimen Number: DOSMB 03004
Synonyms:
Cancer craniolaris
Leucosia obscura
Leucosia pallida
Leucosia pravimana
Leucosia perlata
Diagnostic Characters: Dorsal surface of carapace minutely punctate anteriorly, smooth
posteriorly. Frontal margin tridenticulate, median denticle slightly more prominent than lateral
denticles. Anterolateral margin, from outer angle of orbit to epibranchial anteriorly defined by
overhanging, rounded margin of pterygostomian region, row of 4 perliform granules above
cheliped basis, followed by smaller granules. Third thoracic sternite smooth. Fused abdominal
segment in male with nasutiform median denticle. Cheliped merus with distal half of dorsal
surface smooth; carpus with row of granules on inner margin; lower surface of palm with
granulate row on inner margin. Anterior three pereiopodal meri bearing two minutely beaded
lines on dorsal margin, posterior line progressively shorter in successive pereiopods; single
beaded line on ventral margin; last pereiopodal merus with single beaded line dorsally and
ventrally, ventral line carinate. Pereiopodal carpi rounded. Shaft of male 1st pleopod with 5
smooth whorls, last whorl narrower than apical muff.
Colour: The upper surface of the carapace and of the anterior legs are of dark olive-colour,
marbled with a somewhat lighter hue; four whitish spots on the anterior part, the two anterior
lying at a greater distance from each other than the posterior; two dark spots behind. Fingers
white, except at the base.Tubercles of the upper surface of arms of a yellowish red colour (de
Man, 1881: 124).
Distribution: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Ryukyu Is., Caroline Is., Palao Is.
Present Study: Mayabunder
Habitat, Biology and Fisheries: This species is used as bait of fishery.

Fig.5A Leucosia craniolaris- Dorsal Fig.5B Leucosia craniolaris-Ventral

Remarks: Linnaeus (1758: 626) provided all too brief description left the identity of Cancer
craniolaris vague and indeterminate. De Haan (1841: 134) grafted a short description of Leucosia

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 Frontiers in benthic science
perlata to that of L. rhomboidalis, where it had probably gone unnoticed by Bell. Miers (1880: 316)
thought L. pallida bell istics is identical with L. obscura, and De Man
(1881) synonymized both L. pallida and L. obscura with L. perlata de Haan, to which list of
synonymies Ortmann (1892) added L. parvimana Stimpson. L. craniolaris differs from L. punctata
in possessing a tridenticulate frontal margin, and lacking granules on carapace and 3rd thoracic
sternite; it differs from Leucosia rubripalma spec. nov. in possessing dorsally rounded pereiopodal
carpi, in having the posterior margin of the pterygostomian region round rather than quadrate,
and in having the cheliped merus distally smooth; it differs from L. moresbiensis in its more
delicately punctate carapace, and the number of perliform granules in the thoracic sinus.
Pilumnus vespertilio (Fabricius 1793)
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Brachyura
Superfamily: Pilumnoidea
Family: Piluminidae
Genus: Pilumnus
Species: Pilumnus vespertilio- (Fig.6A, 6B)
Specimen Number: DOSMB 03005
Synonyms:
Actaea dentate Edmondson, 1935
Cancer vespertilio Fabricius, 1793
Pilumnus mus Dana, 1825
Pilumnus ursulus Adams and White, 1849

Fig. 6A Pilumnus vespertilio Dorsal Fig.6B Pilumnus vespertilio Ventral

Diagnostic Characters: Carapace about 1.4 times as broad as long, convex in the anterior half
and depressed in the posterior half. Surface thickly covered with dark brown setae of various
lengths, those near the margins being longer; regions well demarcated on denudation, each
region covered with a patch of granules, interspersed with short setae between the regions; Front
deflected, its breadth less than one-third the breadth of the carapace, and cut into 2 lobes by a
median notch, each with a distinct and prominent extero-lateral angle. Orbit small, dorsal
margin bearing 2 notches. Antero-lateral margin slightly shorter than the postero-lateral one, and
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Chapter 17: Selective crab species distribution in intertidal regions of Andaman Islands, India
armed with 3 teeth, excluding the outer orbital tooth: the first one triangular, the second one
sharper, and the third one the sharpest. Postero-lateral margin slightly longer than the antero-
lateral one, straight and more or less forming a facet. Chelipeds asymmetrical, with long setae.
Merus covered with granules and short pubescence on the outer surface. Carpus sharp at the
inner-distal angle. Palm devoid of hairs but bearing beaded granules in the lower half of the outer
surface. Fingers black, with irregular obtuse teeth along the cutting edge. Ambulatory legs
depressed and covered with long setae. Dactylus with a cuticular claw. First pleopod of the male
slender and long, arched ventrally in the middle and with a hook-shaped apex. Male abdomen 7-
segmented. Telson bluntly triangular.
Colour: The colour of this grab is light gray to dark gray and covered with seate.
Measurements: Carapace length of the male 18-25.5 mm, breadth 25.5-30.8 mm; of the female,
length 18.1 mm, breadth 25 mm. As mentioned by Dai and Yang (1991) the above
measurements were matching with the present studied species.
Distribution: This species is widely distributed across tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters
globally across the Old World and Oceania. Some of the places they have been found are
Mediterranean Areas: The Red Sea; Africa: Mozambique and Madagascar; Indian
Subcontinent/Waters: India and Maldives; Southeast Asia: Malay Peninsula, Singapore,
Thailand, Indonesia; East Asia: Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan and Hainan Island; Australia and
Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and other Pacific Islands and Hawaii.
Present study: Diglipur
Remarks: Pilumnus vespertilio
rocky and coral rubble areas. They are known so as setae (hair) covers almost the entire body,
which helps to break up their outline in water, traps sediments and helps in camouflage amongst
the silt and rocks of their chosen habitat. These crabs are hard to spot and usually well hidden,
especially during the day but are more active during the night. These crabs are opportunistic
omnivores and can use many methods of feeding, including filter feeding, plant/carrion feeding,
scavenging and predation. In general, P. vespertilio consumes a wide range of foods, including
crustose coralline algae and various other kinds of red/ green/ brown algae. It is also known to
prey on several intertidal animals, including brittle stars, marine gastropods (sea snails), bivalves
(clams), bristle worms, and sea slugs. In addition, they may also consume toxic zoanthids, which
may make some members of this species mildly poisonous. Being omnivores, they are actively
involved in nutrient cycling and also help to speed up decomposition when they tear dead plant
and animal matter into smaller pieces.

Fig.7A Neopetrolisthes alobatus - Dorsal Fig.7B Neopetrolisthes alobatus - Ventral

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 Frontiers in benthic science
Neopetrolisthes alobatus (Laurie, 1926)
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Pleocyemata
Infraorder: Anomura
Superfamily: Galatheoidea
Family: Porcellanidae
Genus: Neopetrolisthes
Species: Neopetrolisthes alobatus- (Fig.7A, 7B)
Specimen Number: DOSMB 03006
Synonyms: Petrolisthes alobatus Laurie
Neopetrolisthes alobatus is commonly known as the porcelain crab and lives on the sea anemones.
It is quite small in size and possesses a spotted carapace and appendages. It has been reported
from Mozambique and Republic of Mauritius.
Present Study: Diglipur
Remarks: This is the first report from the Andaman Islands as well as Indian marine
environment.
Discussion
The studied six species Ranina ranina, Matuta victor, Calappa hepatica, Leucosia craniolaris, Pilumnus
vespertilio and Neopetrolisthes alobatus exhibited in the Middle and North Andaman intertidal
waters. Out of these six species, the species Ranina ranina has been considered a major fishery
resource in Australia and Philippines, the only species available in this genus. This species may
be considered as a living resource for the Andaman Islands fisher community. Kumaralingam et
al. (2017) reported Delgarna Island of Diglipur. The present study identified this species in
Rangat. Matuta victor was reported by Alcock (1896) and Galil and Clark (1995) in Andaman
and Nicobar Islands, however, any other recent study was not reported this species in Andaman
and Nicobar Islands. The present study identified this species in Rangat, Mayabunder and
Wandoor intertidal regions. Calappa hepatica was identified by Kumaralingam et al. (2017) at
Burmanalla, south Andaman regions. The present study identified this species in Mayabunder
and Carbyns Cove intertidal regions. Leucosia craniolaris is not reported earlier in Andaman and
Nicobar Islands. The present study reported from Mayabunder may be considered as the first
report in Andaman Islands. Pilumnus vespertilio was reported from Alcock (1896) and
Sankarankutti (1982) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The recent work by Kumaralingam et
al. (2017) reported from Kalapatthar from Little Andaman. The present study was reported from
Mayabunder. Neopetrolisthes alobatus was not reported from Andaman as well as Indian marine
environment. This study identified this species from Diglipur and recorded as a first record from
Indian marine environment.

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Chapter 17: Selective crab species distribution in intertidal regions of Andaman Islands, India

Conclusion
This study suggested that a detailed investigation is needed to understand the environmental
impact on these crab species in the studied locations.
Acknowledgements: The authors thank The Head, Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology and authorities
of Pondicherry University for providing the facilities to execute this project. The work was carried out by the funding of
Central Marine Living Resource and Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi, Ministry of Earth Sciences.

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