A FIRST REPORT ON MUDLOBSTER (Thalassina anomala) AND ITS MOUND CHARACTERISTICS FROM SETIU WETLAND, TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Mudlobsters, belonging to the genus Thalassina are lesser known but are important crustaceans of the mangrove ecosystem. Nine Thalassina species are found in the Indo-Asian region, namely Thalassina kelanang, Thalassina anomala, Thalassina australiensis, Thalassina gracilis, Thalassina krempf, Thalassina spinosa, Thalassina squamifera, Thalassina spinirostris and Thalassina saetichelis. Thalassina spp. were once common in the nipah palm areas around Kuala Terengganu until the areas were developed as residential and commercial areas. As such, this is the frst report about the mudlobster in Terengganu, with samples collected from Setiu closely resembling Thalassina anomala based on the morphological characteristics. The species is indigenous to Setiu Wetland area, and was recorded from an area which was previously a forest of Melaleuca plants and uninhibited by humans prior to development. The habitat was destroyed and make them move to the agricultural area near by the canal. They become a pest because destroying the apical shoots of the melon at night. In this study, the mudlobsters of Setiu Wetlands are reddish brown in color with total body length of ranging from 18cm to 20cm long. The Thalassina species can be distinguished by differences in morphology, namely the shape of carapace, rostrum and length of dorso-lateral carina.