Species composition, richness, and distribution of molluscs from intertidal areas at Penang Island, Malaysia

• Main Authors: Syazreen Sophia Abdul Halim, Shuhaida Shuib, Anita Talib, Khairun Yahya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Prince of Songkla University 2019-02-01
• Series: Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology (SJST)
• Subjects: species composition; gastropods; bivalves; intertidal; Penang Island
• Online Access: https://rdo.psu.ac.th/sjstweb/journal/41-1/20.pdf

A fundamental baseline study for integrated coastal management of tropical intertidal areas was conducted. The present study describes the species composition and distribution of molluscs in the intertidal areas of Penang Island. Five selected sites, that comprised Teluk Aling, Pulau Betong, Jelutong, Teluk Kumbar, and Batu Feringghi, were sampled based on a stratified random design from May 2015 to January 2016. High in species diversity (H’ = 1.21±0.22) and species evenness (J’ = 0.92±0.10) were recorded at Teluk Kumbar. Meanwhile, Pulau Betong was high in species richness (S = 6.60±6.47). The intertidal area of Teluk Aling, that was characterized by fine sand, favored the abundance of Umbonium vestiarium and thus had the highest total abundance of 2,535 individuals/m3 . Zeuxis sp. and Diplodonta asperoides were the most common species found at all sites except in Batu Feringghi. Environmental parameters, such as soil temperature, soil salinity, organic matter and sediment type, were significantly different among the five sites (ANOVA, P<0.05). The sites which were heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities had very low species diversity, for example Jelutong, and there was an absence of molluscs at Batu Feringghi throughout the study period.