Abundance and species diversity of prawns in Kuching Wetlands National Park

Abstract

A study on the abundance and species diversity of prawns in selected mangrove creeks in the Kuching Wetlands National Park was conducted during the non­ monsoon and monsoon (September and November 2006) respectively. The study was done in five creeks namely Sg. Sibu, Sg. Jebung Lurus, Radak, Sg. Besar and Sg. Seberang Rumah. Cast net was used and the number of time the net thrown was standardized to 15 times along each river. This study aim to investigate prawns species diversity and abundance during non-monsoon and monsoon period. Water parameters such as temperature, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH for each station were recorded. The result of this study shows that, there were seven species of prawns identified; two species from the first sampling (non­ monsoon) and five species from the sampling conducted during the monsoon season. The study also revealed that the prawn species from the family Penaeidae dominated all the five study sites especially Penaeus indicus. Species diversity and evenness index of prawns were higher in monsoon compare to non-monsoon season. Macrobrachium equidens (Palaemonidae) and Acetes sp. (Sergestidae)