Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas

Intensive previous studies on horseshoe crabs feeding ecology were mostly focus on Limulus polyphemus. Their food preference might be different depend on the availability and abundance of feeds in the particular environment. This paper aims to investigate the feeding ecology and food preferences of...

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Main Authors: Md Razak, Mohd Razali, Kassim, Zaleha, Sabuti, Asnor Azrin, Ismail, Ahmad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit UTM Press, UTM 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/59377/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/59377/1/MJFAS%20VOL13NO3%202017.pdf
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author Md Razak, Mohd Razali
Kassim, Zaleha
Sabuti, Asnor Azrin
Ismail, Ahmad
author_facet Md Razak, Mohd Razali
Kassim, Zaleha
Sabuti, Asnor Azrin
Ismail, Ahmad
author_sort Md Razak, Mohd Razali
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
description Intensive previous studies on horseshoe crabs feeding ecology were mostly focus on Limulus polyphemus. Their food preference might be different depend on the availability and abundance of feeds in the particular environment. This paper aims to investigate the feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang Tachypleus gigas. Ten samples of male and female horseshoe crabs, Tachypleus gigas were trapped in fishing net during the incoming high tide and 10 samples of male and female were hand-harvested at the spawning beach during pre and post-mating respectively. Their gut content was analysed by the Electivity Index. Results showed that Tachypleus gigas coming to spawn with full gut content. Echinoderm served as a main food composition in the gut of males (50%) and females (51.94%) during the open sea migration phase. The main composition was substituted by macrophyte (males: 59.51% to 65.15%; females: 36.36% to 58.10%) as they arrived to shore. Based on Electivity Index, male crabs showed positive preference toward polychaete (EI: 0.04) and macrophyte (EI: 0.19) at the spawning site while, the females showed positive preference toward bivalve (EI: 0.46). Further study on feeding ecology is needed in order to improve the population of Tachypleus gigas in Malaysia.
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spelling iium-593772018-01-25T17:49:33Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/59377/ Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas Md Razak, Mohd Razali Kassim, Zaleha Sabuti, Asnor Azrin Ismail, Ahmad QL Zoology Intensive previous studies on horseshoe crabs feeding ecology were mostly focus on Limulus polyphemus. Their food preference might be different depend on the availability and abundance of feeds in the particular environment. This paper aims to investigate the feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang Tachypleus gigas. Ten samples of male and female horseshoe crabs, Tachypleus gigas were trapped in fishing net during the incoming high tide and 10 samples of male and female were hand-harvested at the spawning beach during pre and post-mating respectively. Their gut content was analysed by the Electivity Index. Results showed that Tachypleus gigas coming to spawn with full gut content. Echinoderm served as a main food composition in the gut of males (50%) and females (51.94%) during the open sea migration phase. The main composition was substituted by macrophyte (males: 59.51% to 65.15%; females: 36.36% to 58.10%) as they arrived to shore. Based on Electivity Index, male crabs showed positive preference toward polychaete (EI: 0.04) and macrophyte (EI: 0.19) at the spawning site while, the females showed positive preference toward bivalve (EI: 0.46). Further study on feeding ecology is needed in order to improve the population of Tachypleus gigas in Malaysia. Penerbit UTM Press, UTM 2017-08-10 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/59377/1/MJFAS%20VOL13NO3%202017.pdf Md Razak, Mohd Razali and Kassim, Zaleha and Sabuti, Asnor Azrin and Ismail, Ahmad (2017) Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas. Malaysian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, 13 (3). pp. 198-202. ISSN 2289-5981 E-ISSN 2289-599x http://www.mjfas.utm.my
spellingShingle QL Zoology
Md Razak, Mohd Razali
Kassim, Zaleha
Sabuti, Asnor Azrin
Ismail, Ahmad
Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas
title Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas
title_full Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas
title_fullStr Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas
title_full_unstemmed Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas
title_short Feeding ecology and food preferences of Cherok Paloh, Pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas
title_sort feeding ecology and food preferences of cherok paloh, pahang horseshoe crab, tachypleus gigas
topic QL Zoology
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/59377/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/59377/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/59377/1/MJFAS%20VOL13NO3%202017.pdf