See

discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/216448926

COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF BIVALVE IN

INTERTIDAL REGION OF NORTHERN GULF OF
KACHCHH

ARTICLE · JANUARY 2011

DOWNLOADS VIEWS

133 223

3 AUTHORS, INCLUDING:

Hitesh K Kardani Pradeep Mankodi

Junagadh Agricultural University The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda
9 PUBLICATIONS 0 CITATIONS 49 PUBLICATIONS 40 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Available from: Pradeep Mankodi

Retrieved on: 06 August 2015
Electronic Journal of Environmental Sciences Vol. 4, 129-134 (2011)
ISSN: 0973-9505 (Available online at www.tcrjournals.com) Original Article
Indexed in: ProQuest database Abstract, USA ( ProQuest Science journals, Techonology Research database, Illustrata
Technology, Environment Science collection and Health and Medical complete), EBSCO databases (USA), Indian
Science abstract.

COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF BIVALVE IN INTERTIDAL

REGION OF NORTHERN GULF OF KACHCHH
?
KARDANI, H. K.1, THIVAKARAN, G. A. 2 AND MANKODI P. C.3
1
Fisheries Research Station, Junagadh Agricultural University, Sikka, 2Gujarat Institute of Desert
Ecology (GUIDE), Bhuj, 3Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science. M. S. University of Baroda,
Vadodara 390002, Gujarat

Received: October 4, 2011; December 12, 2011

Abstract: The bivalve molluscans of the Northern Gulf of Kachchh were studied at
three station named Sanghi, Mundra and Mandvi during 2007- 09. A total of 16
species from 10 families and 13 genera were recorded during study. The density of
bivalve molluscs was ranged from 167-1202/m2. Few species like Crossostrea sp.,
Crossostrea edulis, Ostrea edulis, Saccostrea cucullata , Solen lamarcki, Tellina
emarginata, Meretrix casta and Paphia malbarica were more frequently
encountered. Among these 4 species were more abundant numerically i.e. Crossostrea
sp., Crossostrea edulis, Ostrea edulis and Saccostrea cucullata. Species like Lingula
translucida and Cucullea cucullata were reported only 1 or 2 times during the
study. The Shannon diversity index H was ranged from 0.84 to 1.92 among all three
stations during study period. Highest diversity was recorded from Mundra during
Monsoon in 2007-08. Season wise higher diversity was seen during monsoon (1.61)
followed by summer (1.77) and winter (1.26) . Station wise Sanghi (1.46) reports
higher diversity followed by Mandvi (1.41) and Mundra (1.27).

Key words: Bivalve, Diversity index H, Gulf of Kachchh

INTRODUCTION The size structure, ecology and standing crop and

The area between high tide and low tide lines
termed as intertidal or littoral zone. The
organisms living in this zone experiences
extreme conditions as this area submerges during
high tide and became complete dry during low
tide. During low tide they must be able to tolerate
desiccation, high temperature and rainfall [1].
The existence of wave and duration of sun light
influence the life and activity of organism living
in intertidal region [2].
population dynamics of bivalve molluscan from
different parts of the world have been studied
by various authors [3-9]. The ecology and
distribution of bivalves were studied by various
investigators in Asian countries [10-13].
The molluscan fauna is poorly documented in
Indian coast. Various authors reports on the
molluscan diversity from east coast of India [14-
16]. Compared to east coast, west coast of India
is poorly documented [17-27]. The intertidal

129
 Electronic Journal of Environmental Sciences
zones support most of the macro benthic species
and thus provide feed for large crustaceans, fish,
bird and human [28]. In the present investigation
diversity, distribution and species richness of the
bivalve molluscan is recorded in the northern
Gulf of Kachchh.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study area: The northern gulf of Kachchh is
situated at North-Western part of India. The
intertidal area of Sanghi, Mundra and Mandvi
were selected for present study (Fig. 1). All three
stations have different ecological conditions and
habitat characteristics. Sanghi is near Sanghi
creek, the second largest incursion in Gulf of
Kachchh possesses muddy area with mangrove
ecosystem on its bank. Mundra site possesses
Table 1: Diversity of bivalves. W-winter, S-summer, M-monsoon
sandy beaches with internal creek system which
possesses Mangrove ecosystem while Mandvi is
sandy shore with rocky outbreaks.
The northern Gulf of Kachchh falls under semi
arid ecosystem. The rain fall in all three stations
varies from 250-350 mm. The air temperature
also varies from 7-48 0 C during winter and
summer respectively with average humidity of
60% which increases to 80% during south-west
monsoon and decreases to 50% during
November-December. Here the tides are
semidiurnal, mixed type.
Sampling method: The intertidal region is
surveyed during low tide during full moon or
new moon period. The macro fauna were studied
for their diversity, distribution abundance during

2007-08 2008-09
SANGHI MUNDRA MANDVI SANGHI MUNDRA MANDVI

W S M W S M W S M W S M W S M W S M
Placenta
Anomiidae * * * * * *
placenta
Cucullea
Arcoidea *
cucullata
Donacidae Donax Sp. * * * * * * * * *
Lingula
Lingulidae * *
translucida
Mactra
Mactridae * * * * * *
mera
Crassostrea
Ostreidae * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
edulis
Crassostrea
Ostreidae * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
sp
Ostrea
Ostreidae * * * * * * * * * * * *
edulis
Saccostrea
Ostreidae * * * * * * * * * * * *
cucullata
Pholas
Pholadidae * * * * *
orientalis
Solen
Solenidae * * * * * *
kempii
Solen
Solenidae * * * * * * * * * * * *
lamarcki
Tellina
Tellinidae * * * * * *
emarginata
Meretrix
Veneridiae * * * * * * * * * * *
casta
Meretrix
Veneridiae * * * * * *
meretrix
Paphia
Veneridiae * * * * * * * * * * *
malabarica
Density-
268 167 286 205 233 200 561 662 1202 626 255 425 194 251 273 606 450 794
No/m2
Richness 9 9 10 6 7 9 6 6 6 11 9 11 5 7 7 7 6 6

130
 Kardani et al.
June 2007 to May 2009. The intertidal fauna were
collected at monthly interval from all three stations
using quadrate method. Intensive sampling was
done to encounter the maximum diversity. The
monthly data were pooled into three seasons
since not much variation was seen on monthly
basis. Samples were collected by placing 1 m2
quadrate randomly. In each station more than 15
samples were recorded in each transect and per
station 3 transects were recorded. All samples
within transect were pooled together and
averaged for whole intertidal belt for further
analysis. All organisms encountered within
quadrate were identified, counted and recorded
in field itself. Organisms which could not be
identified in the field were narcotized in menthol
and preserved in 5% formaldehyde and
transported to the laboratory for detailed
identification. The samples collected were ident-
ified using standard method [26,29-31]. Diver-
sity indices were calculated using PAST [32].
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A sum of 16 species from 10 families and 13
genera were recorded during study across the
stations (Table 1). The bivalve density among
stations ranged from 167-1202 (Fig. 3)
individuals per square meter. Highest density of
1202/sq meter was recorded at Mandvi during
2007-08 monsoon while lowest density of 167
no/sq meters was recorded at Sanghi during
summer season of 2007-08. Average density of
bivalve for Mundra, Mandvi and Sanghi stations
were recorded 226, 712.5 and 337.8 respectively
per square meter (Fig. 4). Average density of
bivalve for winter, summer and monsoon were
ranged from 410, 336 and 530 individuals/sq
meter. (Fig. 3) Mandvi station records higher
density due to its sandy habitat with rocky
outputs which is preferred by bivalve community.
While season wise the species richness is ranged
from 5-11 species per station. Station wise highest
richness was seen in Sanghi (12) followed by
Mundra (10) and Mandvi (7) while year wise
there were no much difference observed between
2007-08 (15) and 2008-09 (13). Mandvi shows
highest density but least richness (Fig. 2).
131
Bivalve diversity index H during study is ranged
from 0.83 to 1.9 (Fig. 1). Station wise Sanghi
records highest diversity of 1.46 followed by
Mandvi (1.41) and Mundra (1.27). Year wise no
significant difference is seen during 2007-08 and
2008-09 (Fig. 5). While season wise highest
diversity was recorded during monsoon whereas
during winter and summer not much significant
difference was seen.
Season wise monsoon records highest density
i.e. 530 no/m2 followed by winter 410 and
summer 336 in the present study a pronounced
increase in abundance could be recorded during
monsoon season. It seems many of the intertidal
fauna breeds during monsoon season due to the
influx of freshwater and the consequent lowered
water salinity.
Density wise Mandvi records highest density of
712 no/m2 followed by Sanghi 337 no/m2 and
Mundra 226 no/m2 while Shannon diversity
index is higher in Sanghi 1.46 followed by
Mandvi 1.41 and Mundra 1.27. The highest
density and lower Shannon diversity index at
Mandvi is due to higher abundance of some
species like Crassostrea edulis (414/m2 ),
Crassostrea sp. (113/m2 ) and Saccostrea
cucullata (179/m2 ) during 2007-08 and
Crassostrea sp (113 no/m2) and Saccostrea
cucullata (179/m2) during 2008-09.
In Sanghi and Mundra records higher Shannon
diversity index H during Monsoon during both
year 2007-08 and 2008-09 while Mandvi does
not show similar pattern. This is due to Sanghi
and Mundra has creek system and receives a
good amount of fresh water flow during monsoon
which may be cause for higher diversity while
Mandvi is open coast does not receiving any
fresh water flow through river or creek which
might be the reason for more ever similar
Shannon diversity index for all three seasons.
Study area at Sanghi and Mundra are divers’
habitat with mudflat and mangrove which could
offer better microhabitat for the intertidal fauna,
higher level of diversity observed in these two
stations could be because of presence of
 Electronic Journal of Environmental Sciences
Shannon diversity index H
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
W S M W S M W S M W S M W S M W S M

SANGHI MUNDRA MANDVI SANGHI MUNDRA MANDVI

2007-08 2008-09
Fig. 1: Diversity indices of the study stations.

N O of taxa N O of individual
12 1400
10 1200
8 1000
6 800
600
4 400
2 200
0 0
W S M W S M W S M W S M W S M W S M

SANGHI M UNDRA M ANDVI S ANGHI M UNDRA MANDVI

2007-08 2008-09
Fig. 2: Species richness and density of study stations

No of Bivalve individual season wise

No of Individual/m2

1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
WINTER SUMMER MONSOON WINTER SUMMER MONSOON

2007-08 2008-09
Seasons
Fig. 3: Season wise density of Bivalves.

No of Bivavle station wise

1400
No of Mollusca/m2

1200
1000
800
600 g
400
200
0
SANGHI MUNDRA MANDAVI SANGHI MUNDRA MANDAVI

2007-08 Station 2008-09

Fig. 4: Station wise density of Bivalves.

132
 Kardani et al.
Shannon Diversity Index H
2 0.5
1.5
1
0.5
0 0
Sanghi Mundra Mandavi
Fig. 5: Shannon diversity indices station and season wise.
Mangrove in these study station offering better
and diverse intertidal habitats.
The macro faunal generic and species richness
of 16 species in 13 genera of bivalve recorded in
the present seasonal studies at three stations was
much higher than the richness recorded in other
coastal stretches of North-West coast of India.
In Mahul creek, Maharastra 5 species were
recorded during 2001-02 [33]. Gujarat ecology
commission Gandhinagar recorded 19 species of
bivalve from Gulf of Kachchh and Gulf of
Khambhat during 1999 [34] such observation has
been made by us from the Northern Gulf of
Kachchh. The Saurashtra coast is also diverse in
the species richness of bivalve molluscans, 13
species of bivalve at three sites at Gujarat coast
where recorded in 2003 [35].
Physico-chemical parameter of water and soil at
all three sites and its impact on spatial and
temporal variation of bivalve needs to be study
further to understand the changes in pattern of
distribution of bivalves.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are thankful to Dr V. Vijaykumar, Deputy
Director, Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology,
Bhuj and Ministry of Earth Science to provide
facility and finance for the study. We are also
thankful to the Head, Department of Zoology,
Faculty of Science, The M. S. University of
Baroda for providing laboratory facilities.
133
Standard Deviation
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
W inter Summer Monsoon
REFERENCE
[1] Abercrombie, J.: Bombay. Nat. Hist. Society. 8(2):
212-222 (1893).
[2] Apte, D.J.: Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 90 (2): 537-
­539 (1993).
[3] Pillai, C.S.G. and Jasmine, S.: J. Marine Biol.
Assoc. India, 33(1&2): 159-165 (1991).
[4] Raffaelli, D. and Hawkins, S.: Intertidal Ecology.
Chapman & Hall, London, pp. 356 (1996).
[5] Senechal-Brown, E. and Dean, H.K.: The
intertidal environment of the rocky coast. Proc.
on 18 th Workshop Association for Biology
Laboratory Education, pp. 273-287 (1996).
[6] Hunt, H.L. and Scheibling R.E.: Mar. Ecol. Proc.
Ser., 167: 155-169 (1998).
[7] Cole, R.A., Lindsay, D.S., Howe, D.K., Roderick,
C.L., Dubey, J.P., Thomas, N.J., and Baeten,
L.A.: J. Parasitol., 86: 526-530 (2000).
[8] Davidson, I.C., Crook A.C. and Barnes D.K.:
Marine Ecology, 25(1): 15-34 (2004).
[9] Brandt A., Linse K. and Schuller, M.: Bathymetric
distribution patterns of Southern Ocean macro
faunal taxa: Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Isopoda and
Polychaeta. Deep-Sea Research Part I:
Oceanographic Research Papers, 56 (11): 2013-
2025 (2009).
[10] Mc Cain, J.C.: Marine Ecology of Saudi Arabia.
The intertidal fauna of Sand beaches in the
Northern area, Arabian Gulf - Fauna of Saudi
Arabia. 6: 53-78 (1984).
[11] Farmer, D.: Marine life. In: An introduction.
Kuwait Oil Co. (Clayton, D and Pilcher C., ed.)
Kuwaits Natural History: pp 192-247 (1983).
[12] Smythe, K.R.: J. Conch., 27: 491-496 (1970).
[13] Jasim, Al Khayat.: Arabian Gulf. Qatar Univ. Sci.
J., 17(2): 479-491 (1997).
 Electronic Journal of Environmental Sciences
[14] Subba Rao, N.V. and Dey, A.: Zool. Surv. India [34] Gujarat Ecological Commission (GEC):
Occ., 91: 1-30 (1986). Seasonal distribution of benthic fauna in Gulf
[15] Subba Rao, N.V and Surya Rao, K.V.: Zool. Surv. of Kachchh and Gulf of Khambhat pre-monsoon
India, 153: 1-233 (1993). data: (March 1999).
[16] Kaja Magdoom, B., Kalaiselvam, M. and [35] Raghunathan C., Tiweri A., Joshi H. V., Sarvan
Balasubramanian, T.: Current Res. J. Biol. Sci., Kumar V. G., Trivedi R. H. and Khambhati Y.: Ind.
2(1): 53-58 (2010). J. Marine Sci., 32(3): 214-221 (2003).
[17] Abercrombie, A.: J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 8(2):
212-222 (1983).
[18] Melvill, J.C.: Description of twenty-five new
species of marine shells from Bombay (collected
by Mr. Alexander Abercrombie). 8(2): 234-245
(1893).
[19] Hornell, J.: Bombay Nat. Hist. Society, 1-96
(1951).
[20] Patil, A.M.: Study of the marine fauna of the
Karwar coast and neighboring islands. Part III.
Mollusca (contd.) 51(1): 29-41 (1952).
[21] Subramanyam, T.V., Karandikar, K.R. and Murthi,
N.N.: J. Univ. Bombay., 21: 21-34 (1952).
[22a] Kundu, H. L.: J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 62(1):
84-103 (1965).
[22b] Kundu, H. L.: J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 62(2):
211-236 (1965).
[23] Menon, P. K. B., Dattagupta A. K., and Dasagupta
D.: J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 58: 475-494
(1961).
[24]Apte,D.: J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 89 (1): 142-
­143 (1992).
[25] Apte, D.: J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 90 (2): 537-
­539 (1993).
[26] Apte, D.: The book of Indian shells. Oxford
University Press, Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi,
Mumbai. pp 115 (1998).
[27] Datta, S.N., Chakraborty, S.K., Jaiswar, A.K. and
Ziauddin, G.: J. Environ. Biol., 31(6): 981-986
(2010).
[28] Herman, P.M.J, Middleburg, J.J., van de Koppel,
J. and Heip, C.H.R.: Adv Ecol Res., 29: 195-240
(1999).
[29] Hornell, J.: J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 48: 1-34
(1949).
[30] Rao, S. K.: CMFRI Bulletin. 38: 1-6 (1982).
[31] Chhapgar, B.F.: Marine life in India. Oxford
University Press, India, pp. 337 (2005).
[32] Øyvind Hammer, D.A., Harper, T., and Ryan,
P.D.: PAST - Palaeontological Statistics, ver. 1.90
(2009).
[33] Verma A., Balachandran, S., Chaturvedi, N. and
Patil, V.: Zoos’ Print Journal., 19(9): 1559-1605
(2004)

134