Summer distribution and abundance of juvenile Chinese horseshoe crabs Tachypleus tridentatus along an intertidal zone in southern China

Aquatic Biology

Siu-Gin Cheung¹  Paul K. S. Shin¹  Yan Chen¹  Qiongzhen Li¹  Youji Wang¹  Menghong Hu¹ 

关键词: Chinese horseshoe crab;    Tachypleus tridentatus;    Distribution;    Abundance;    Size variation;    Intertidal zone;    Beibu Gulf;   

DOI  :  10.3354/ab00194

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Inter-Research

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACT: Owing to human exploitation, pollution and loss of breeding and nursery grounds, Chinese horseshoe crabs Tachypleus tridentatus are facing the risk of population decline and eventual extinction. In order to provide baseline information needed to formulate future conservation strategies, we examined the spatial distribution, densities and carapace width of juvenile T. tridentatus along 6 transects at an intertidal zone of Beibu Gulf, South China Sea, during the summer of 2008. The environmental parameters measured (water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen) did not vary significantly among transects. However, the abundance and size distribution of juvenile T. tridentatus was statistically different between transects. Juvenile T. tridentatus prefer to move further from their natal area as they grow: therefore, smaller juveniles tend to be distributed closer to the shore, while larger juveniles are located further offshore.

【 授权许可】

Unknown