Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, Tachypleus gigas. Malaysian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, 13 (3). pp. 198-202. ISSN 2289-599X (2017)
Abstract
Intensive earlierstudies on horseshoe crabs feeding ecology were mostly focusedon Limulus polyphemus. Their food preference might be different depend on the availability and abundance of feeds in the particular environment. This paper aims to investigate the feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang Tachypleus gigas. Ten samples of male and female horseshoe crabs, Tachypleus gigaswere trapped in fishing net during the incoming high tide and 20samples of male and female were hand-harvested at the spawning beach; 10 samples duringpre-matingand10 samples during post-mating. Their gut content was analysedusing theElectivity Index. Results showed that Tachypleus gigascoming to spawn with full gut content. Echinoderm served as a main food composition in the gut of males (50%) and females (51.94%) during the open sea migration phase. The main composition was substituted by macrophyte (males: 59.51% to 65.15%; females: 36.36% to 58.10%) as they arrived to shore. Based on Electivity Index, male crabs showed positive preference toward polychaete (EI: 0.04) and macrophyte (EI: 0.19) at the spawning site while, the females showed positive preference toward bivalve (EI: 0.46). Further study on feeding ecology is needed in order to improve the population of Tachypleus gigasin Malaysia.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Tachypleus gigas, Electivity index, Food composition, Gastro-somatic index, Spawning migration phase |
| Taxonomy: | By Subject > Applied Sciences > Biology By Subject > Applied Sciences > Marine technology |
| Local Content Hub: | Subjects > Applied Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Eza Eliana Abdul Wahid |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Apr 2021 08:53 |
| Last Modified: | 28 Apr 2021 08:53 |
| Related URLs: |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |