Population estimate of four species of crab associated with mangroves, Uleam sector, mache river, Ecuador

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to collect information on burrows of the species: Cardisoma Crassum, Uca sp., Goniopsis pulchra and Aratus sp. associated with a mangrove community in the Mache River estuary, Ecuador. For Cardisoma Crassum the monitoring area was divided into two blocks (1 and 2) each of 480m2; for Uca sp., Goniopsis pulchra, and Aratus sp. An area of 650m2 was selected in order to report the density of burrows in M/m2. Regarding the capture of C. crassum, 8 traps (15x30x15cm) were used in 960m2, and the manual method was used randomly for the other species. In addition, sexual dimorphism, shell measurements, chelipeds and pereiopods were determined. The fiddler crab (Uca sp.) was the most abundant, followed by Goniopsis pulchra and Aratus sp. with 67%, 24.5% and 8.5%; respectively, reporting a total of 64.33M/m2 and in C. crassum 0.046 M/m2 block1, 0.11M/m2 block2. A moderate density of burrows typical of the species C. Crassum and a high density of burrows of Uca sp. was determined and of G. pulchra and under the roots of mangroves burrows of Aratus sp.