Habitat Preference and Population Ecology of Limpets Cellana karachiensis (Winckworth) and Siphonaria siphonaria (Sowerby) at Veraval Coast of Kathiawar Peninsula, India

Abstract

Present study reports the habitat preference and spatiotemporal variations in the population abundance of limpetsCellana karachiensisandSiphonaria siphonariainhabiting rocky intertidal zones of Veraval coast, Kathiawar Peninsula, India. The entire intertidal zone of the Veraval coast was divided into five microsampling sites based on their substratum type and assemblage structure. Extensive field surveys were conducted every month in these microsampling sites and the population abundance of two limpet species was analyzed using belt transect method. The results revealed thatC. karachiensiswas the dominating species at microsampling Site-1 (having rocky substratum) possibly due to its ability to tolerate high desiccation, salinity, and temperature fluctuations, while theS. siphonariawas found to be the most dominating species at microsampling Site-2 (having rocky substratum with abundant algal population) possibly due to their preference for the perpetual wet areas. The study also indicated thatS. siphonariapreferred upper littoral zone where the green algae were abundant whileC. karachiensispreferred the spray zone, where it faces almost no competition for space and food with other molluscs. The condition of the spray zone is very harsh for other species to survive.

Limpets of the genus Cellana (Patellogastropoda) from Pakistan, North Arabian Sea: species identification based on DNA sequencing

“…However, in future, there is a need to re-confirm the identification of C. karachiensis based on the study of other gene markers. Cellana karachiensis has been reported for the first time from the coast of Pakistan and this species has earlier been reported from Gulf of Oman (Emam, 1994) and from Veraval, west coast of India (Faladu et al, 2014). The coast of Pakistan is bordered by Northern Arabian Sea, on the western extension of the Arabian Sea lies the Gulf of Oman and on its eastern extension lies the west coast of India, so this species appeared to be distributed in the Arabian Sea.…”

Microhabitat Preference of Strombidae in Selected Intertidal Areas of Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental, Philippines

“…Figure 1 shows the map of the three sampling sites wherein the data collection was made during low tide from May 19, 2015 to May 26, 2015. The belt-transect method (60 x 50 m) was established in each sampling site (Faladu et al, 2014). Different microhabitats were observed in the study area: a microhabitat composed of algae, seagrass, black sand, muddy sand, rocks, sediments and tide pools.…”