A STUDY ON DIVERSITY OF MOLLUSCS IN MAYABUNDER ISLANDS

Volume : IV, Issue : IV, April - 2015

Priyankadevi, K. Revathi, C. Raghunathan

he Andaman sea Eco region is biologically rich in both diversity and abundance. The high diversity is encountered from

genus to individual species, habitat and ecosystems. The coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds, marine lakes and deep

sea valleys of the region form a constellation of diverse habitat that support a spectacular variety of fauna. Molluscs

are highly successful inverteates in terms of ecology and adaptation and are found nearly in all habitats ranging from deepest ocean trenches

to the intertidal zones, and freshwater to land occupying a wide range of habitats. Much of the molluscan diversity occurs in the tropical world.

Despite this great diversity, very few studies on molluscs have been carried out in the tropical world. An attempt was made to study the diversity

and distribution of molluscs along the intertidal regions of mayabunder islands. During the survey three different beaches of mayabunder were

selected, named, Aves Island, Sound Island and Karmatang beach. The study area lies in the northern part of the middle Andaman Island 12.93

N 92.93 E. A total of 45 molluscs (bivalves and gastropods) were investigated from these islands. Gastropods were more abundant than the

bivalves. Maximum species were obtained from Karmatang beach as compared to Aves Island and Sound Island. The dominant gastropods

species belong to order Neogastropoda in Aves Island and Karmatang beach and species under order Littorinimorpha were found rich in Sound

Island. The community structure is stable around the study area; it seems that habitat type has a strong influence on the distribution and

abundance of both phyla. The present study investigated rich diversity of molluscs which included gastropods and bivalves. The result of the

present study will be discussed.