Molluscan diversity in the mangrove ecosystem of Mumbai, west coast of India

Published Date
Received 16 December 2016, Revised 6 June 2017, Accepted 6 June 2017, Available online 12 June 2017

Author

• G. Kantharajan^a, 
• P.K. Pandey^b, , , 
• P. Krishnan^c, 
• V. Deepak Samuel^c, 
• V.S. Bharti^a, 
• R. Purvaja^c

• ^a ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Panch Marg, Off Yari Road, Versova, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400061, India
• ^b College of Fisheries, CAU (I), Lembucherra, Tripura 799210, India
• ^c National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, MoEFCC, Anna University Campus, Guindy, Chennai 600025, India

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2017.06.002

Highlights

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Molluscan diversity of mangrove ecosystem of Mumbai, India has been studied.

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A total of 61 molluscs, represented by 46 gastropods, 14 bivalves and 1 polyplacophora has been documented.

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Two gastropods, Salinator fragilis and Auriculastra subula were reported for the first time from the West Coast of India.

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The results aid in identifying sensitive areas and in preparing region-specific conservation management plan.

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Abstract

Ever increasing human population, habitat destruction and pollution along the Mumbai coast are some of the major threats to molluscan fauna. Molluscs form a major group of organisms that makes-up an integral part of mangrove ecosystems. A study, carried out in 8 mangrove areas of Mumbai, west coast of India, from August 2015 to May 2016, revealed a distribution of 61 molluscan species, represented by 46 gastropods, 14 bivalves and 1 polyplacophora. The number of species reported from the study is the second highest for the mangrove ecosystems of India, after Andaman and Nicobar Islands mangroves. The study also reports 2 new distributional records for gastropods, namely Salinator fragilis and Auriculastra subula. The molluscan diversity was the highest in the mangroves of Versova, north-western Mumbai. The molluscan species diversity from mangrove ecosystem along the Mumbai coast has been documented in detail in order to provide useful baseline data for supporting conservation management.

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