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Crabs Diversity of Digha Coast, West Bengal, India

Article · November 2017

DOI: 10.1007/s12595-017-0251-x

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Proc Zool Soc
DOI 10.1007/s12595-017-0251-x
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Crabs Diversity of Digha Coast, West Bengal, India
Bidhan Chandra Patra1 • Manojit Bhattacharya2 • Avijit Kar1 • Basanta Kumar Das2
Swagat Ghosh3 • Srikanta Parua1 • Shampa Patra4 • Sudip Rakshit1
Received: 21 February 2017 / Revised: 16 September 2017 / Accepted: 6 November 2017
Ó Zoological Society, Kolkata, India 2017
Abstract A survey was conducted during the period
of April-2014–April-2016 to note the occurrence of crabs
in the beach area of Digha (21°370 48.09200 N
87°320 41.35500 E to 21°360 9.89600 N 87°270 44.09800 E) at the
Bay of Bengal coastal zone, India. A total of 55 species of
crabs belonging to 24 genera and 13 families have been
recorded during the study period. From the data it is evi-
dent that the crabs belonging to the family Ocypodidae are
dominant group (28%).
Keywords Crab diversity  Digha coast  Bay of Bengal
Bidhan Chandra Patra, Manojit Bhattacharya and Avijit Kar have
contributed equally to this work.
& Bidhan Chandra Patra
patrabidhan1962@gmail.com
1
Centre For Aquaculture Research, Extension and Livelihood,
Department of Aquaculture Management and Technology,
Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal 721102,
India
2
ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute,
Monirampur (Post), Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal
700120, India
3
Sasya Shyamala Krishi Vigyan Kendra, IRDM Faculty
Centre, Arapanch Sonarpur, Ramakrishna Mission
Vivekananda University, Kolkata, West Bengal 700150,
India
4 muddy and sandy beaches of Digha shore provide a suit-
Department of Zoology, Sabang Sajani Kanta
Mahavidyalaya, Lutunia, West Midnapore, West Bengal
721166, India
GI C AL
LO S
O
O
O
CI E
TH E Z
TY
KO
L K ATA
•
Introduction
Among benthic communities, crustaceans play a signifi-
cant role in regulating the structure and function of tropical
ecosystems (Hendrickx 1995). Marine crabs are wide-
spread in reef environments as well as in shallow shores
and intertidal regions. Because of high protein and mineral
crabs are not only nutritious but also a superior source of
income of the people residing in coastal areas (Kathirvel
1983; Boßelmann et al. 2007). Skeleton of crabs are
powdered to use as an ingredient in poultry feeds.
Accordingly crabs, irrespective of habitats have drawn the
attention of various workers (Woods 1993; Sleinis and
Silvey 1980; Ramakrishna and Talukdar 2003; Ng et al.
2008; Chatterjee et al. 2014; Mandal et al. 2015). The aim
of the present survey was to note the crab species occurring
in the Digha beach of the Bay of Bengal with a view to
protect them from the regular, non-stop anthropogenic
activities of the tourists.
Material and Method
Study Area
Digha coast is located in the Purba Medinipur district of West
Bengal, India. It is stretched from the mouth of the Sub-
arnarekha River to old Digha, up to Mohana. The total length
of study area was around 9 km including the Talsari delta
located at Jaleswar district of Odisha state, India. This area lies
between Digha-Mohana 21°370 48.09200 N 87°320 41.35500 E
and Talsari 21°360 9.89600 N 87°270 44.09800 E (Fig. 1). The
able habitat for the crabs. Talsari area is placed between
spring-tide and neap-tide level and it is characterized by
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 Proc Zool Soc

Fig. 1 Site of the study area

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Order wise species distribution 2002). The taxonomic status of crabs was adopted from
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS 2016). Bio-
5% diversity assessment and conservation status of the speci-
men were designed through the International Union for
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List
guidelines (IUCN 2017-1).
Decapoda

Xiphosurida

Results
95%

During the period of the 2 years we had the opportunity to

Fig. 2 Order wise species distribution of crab diversity at Digha
coast, India
shallow and swampy muddy environment. The study was also
continued in the deep sea area through mechanized fishing
vessels.
record 55 species of crabs belonging to two Orders
(Table 1). Of these, decapods were dominant (95%) while
xiphosurids were only 5% (Fig. 2). Figure 3 represents the
data in respect to the occurrence of crabs belonging to
different families. It is evident that most of the crab species
belong to the NE (71%) while DD (27%) and LR/nt (2%)
were next in order (Fig. 4).

Collection of Crab Samples

Sampling of crabs was carried out from the middle of
April, 2014 to the end of April 2016 fortnightly. Other than
beach area we visited the marshy areas of the shoreline
especially the intertidal zones. Generally wandering crabs
were captured by hand whereas burrowing crabs were
collected through the effective use of the iron sticks which
are used by the crab catchers.
Laboratory Procedure and Identification
The collected specimens were identified by using the keys
and portal website (www.species-identification.org)
(Guerao and Rotllant 2009; Jeyabaskaran and Wafar
Discussion
It appears from our survey that there exists at least 55
crab species which are distributed in 24 genera and 13
families in the Digha beach area of the Bay of Bengal.
Out of these only 13 species are edible by human. It is
found that Uca sp. are most common in sea shore where
Ocypoda macrocera commonly known as red crabs are
also found in large numbers. Because crabs are consumed
by a large section of people and act as commodity to earn
foreign currency. They are being captured by local crab
fishermen indiscriminately, irrespective of size, weight
and age (Sukumaran and Neelakantan 1996). The ghost
crabs (Ocypode macrocera) preferred peaceful area for

Table 1 Crab species occurring in Digha coast, West Bengal, India

Serial Order Family Name IUCN Edible/non-
no. status edible

1. Decapoda Diogenidae Diogenes custos (Fabricius, 1798) NE Non-edible

2. Diogenes miles (Fabricius, 1787) DD Edible
3. Diogenes planimanus (Henderson, 1893) DD Non-edible
4. Diogenes avarus (Heller, 1865) NE Non-edible
5. Diogenes rectimanus (Miers, 1884) DD Non-edible
6. Diogenes costatus (Henderson, 1893) DD Non-edible
7. Diogenes investigatoris (Alcock, 1905) NE Non-edible
8. Dardanus hessii (Miers, 1884) NE Non-edible
9. Clibanarius padavensis (de Man, 1888) NE Non-edible
10. Clibanarius clibanarius (Herbst, 1791) NE Non-edible
11. Clibanarius infraspinatus (Hilgendorf, 1869) NE Non-edible
12. Clibanarius olivaceus (Henderson, 1915) DD Non-edible
13. Varunidae Varuna litterata (Fabricius, 1798) NE Edible

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Table 1 continued
Serial Order Family Name IUCN Edible/non-
no. status edible

14. Portunidae Portunus (Portunus) sanguinolentus (Herbst, 1783) NE Edible

15. Portunus (Portunus) pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) NE Edible
16. Portunus (Monomia) argentatus (A. Milne-Edwards, 1861) NE Edible
17. Portumnus latipes (Pennant, 1777) NE Edible
18. Charybdis (Charybdis) affinis (Dana, 1852) NE Edible
19. Charybdis (Charybdis) lucifera (Fabricius, 1798) NE Edible
20. Charybdis (Gonioneptunus) quadrimaculata (Yang, Chen and DD Edible
Dai 2011)
21. Charybdis (Charybdis) feriata (Linnaeus, 1758) NE Edible
22. Charybdis (Goniosupradens) acutifrons (de Man, 1879) DD Edible
23. Scylla serrata (Forskål, 1775) NE Edible
24. Thalamita prymna (Herbst, 1803) NE Non-edible
25. Ocypodidae Ocypode macrocera (H. Milne Edwards, 1852) DD Non-edible
26. Ocypode pallidula (Jacquinot, 1846) NE Non-edible
27. Ocypode quadrata (Fabricius, 1787) NE Non-edible
28. Uca (Paraleptuca) crassipes (White, 1847) NE Non-edible
29. Uca (Gelasimus) tetragonon (Herbst, 1790) NE Non-edible
30. Uca (Tubuca) typhoni Crane, 1975 DD Non-edible
31. Uca (Austruca) perplexa (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) NE Non-edible
32. Uca (Gelasimus) vocans (Linnaeus, 1758) NE Non-edible
33. Uca (Tubuca) forcipata (Adams & White, 1849) NE Non-edible
34. Uca (Tubuca) rosea (Tweedie, 1937) NE Non-edible
35. Uca (Tubuca) demani (Ortmann, 1897) DD Non-edible
36. Uca (Tubuca) paradussumieri (Bott, 1973) NE Non-edible
37. Ocypode ceratophthalmus (Pallas, 1772) NE Non-edible
38. Uca (Austruca) triangularis (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873) NE Non-edible
39. Uca (Austruca) lactea (De Haan, 1835) NE Non-edible
40. Macrophthalmidae Macrophthalmus (Macrophthalmus) transversus (Latreille, 1817) DD Non-edible
41. Macrophthalmus (Macrophthalmus) sulcatus H. Milne Edwards, DD Non-edible
1852
42. Venitus dentipes (Lucas, in Guérin-Méneville, 1836) DD Non-edible
43. Macrophthalmus (Mareotis) depressus (Rüppell, 1830) NE Non-edible
44. Coenobitidae Coenobita cavipes (Stimpson, 1858) NE Non-edible
45. Coenobita clypeatus (Fabricius, 1787) NE Non-edible
46. Grapsidae Grapsus grapsus (Linnaeus, 1758) NE Non-edible
47. Pachygrapsus crassipes Randall, 1840 NE Non-edible
48. Dorippidae Dorippoides facchino (Herbst, 1785) NE Non-edible
49. Matutidae Matuta victor (Fabricius, 1781) NE Edible
50. Calappidae Calappa lophos (Herbst, 1782) NE Non-edible
51. Trapeziidae Trapezia tigrina Eydoux & Souleyet, 1842 NE Non-edible
52. Dromiidae Dromia dormia (Linnaeus) NE Non-edible
53. Xiphosurida Limulidae Tachypleus gigas (O. F. Müller, 1785) DD Non-edible
54. Limulus polyphemus (Linnaeus, 1758) LR/nt Non-edible
55. Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda (Latreille, 1802) DD Non-edible
NE not evaluated, DD data deficient, LR/nt lower risk near threaten

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Proc Zool Soc

Fig. 3 Family wise species Family wise species distribution

distribution of crab diversity at
Digha coast, India
Diogenidae
2% 2%
2% 2% 2% Portunidae
5%
2% 22% Ocypodidae
4%
Macrophthalmidae
3%
Coenobitidae
7% Grapsidae
20% Dorippidae
Matutidae
27% Calappidae
Trapeziidae
Dromiidae
Limulidae
Varunidae

American lobster Homarus americanus and the edible crab

Biodiversity assessment
2%
27%
NE
71%
DD
LR/nt
NE- Not Evaluated; DD- Data Deficient; LR/nt- Lower Risk Near Threaten
Fig. 4 Biodiversity assessment based on IUCN status of crab
occurring in Digha coast, India
their shelter. Therefore, these were seen occasionally in
the areas where tourists are commonly seen in contrast to
the areas which are less frequently visited by the tourists,
especially the beach of Talsari area. Thus, it appears that,
a proper management strategy is inevitable to save the
shore-crabs as they are being threatened seriously by the
tourists.
Acknowledgements Authors are highly thankful to Natural
Resources Data Management System (NRDMS), Department of
Science and Technology (DST), Government of India for financial
assistance to carry out the research work (Project Ref. No. NRDMS/
11/1966/012).
Compliance with Ethical Standards
Conflicts of interest Authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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