Document of bibliographic reference 300318

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

The biodiversity and conservation status of the marine gastropod (Mollusca; Gastropoda) in Pulau Bidong, Terengganu, Malaysia

Abstract

Pulau Bidong is known for its history as a Vietnamese refugee settlement during the Vietnam War in the 1970s. By the 1990s, this island was under the jurisdiction of the state government of Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. Now, Pulau Bidong is the marine research centre for the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT MaReSt). It is a low-lying ecosystem harbouring flora and fauna not yet discovered. To date, there is no documented evidence on richness, diversity, and abundance of molluscan fauna found on the island. This study aims to identify diversity, distribution, morphological characteristics, and conservation status following the International Union for Conservation for Nature (IUCN) of marine gastropods. Sampling was done in August 2017 at two selected stations using the Smith-McIntyre grab and dredge. A total of 140 individuals representing three subclasses, 14 families, and 25 species were found. The highest number of individuals collected belonged to Minolia ceraunia (Solariellidae), with 27 individuals, followed by Margistrombus marginatus (Strombidae), with 20 individuals. Ecological indices, like the Shannon index (H’) and Simpson index (D), showed that species diversity was 2.67±0.20 and 0.90±0.02, respectively, indicating moderate to high diversity. In addition, Margalef (Ma) and Menhinick (Me) indices showed high variation scores of 4.61±0.44 and 2.16±0.09, indicating high species richness. Similarly, Evenness (J’) and Equitability (Ep) recorded 0.65±0.09 and 0.86±0.04, respectively, showing high homogeneity and distribution pattern of species in relation to other species. All marine gastropods were categorised as 'Not Evaluated’ following IUCN. This study provided baseline information for malacology communities and highlighted insufficient information, so a proper assessment of conservation status can occur. Extending the sampling period is recommended, so further surveying and monitoring of other benthic taxa, including algae, crustaceans, molluscs, and polychaetes, can provide a comprehensive study useful for scientists and members, for future follow-up and evaluation programmes.

Bibliographic citation

Baharuddin, N.; Zakaria, N.A. (2018). The biodiversity and conservation status of the marine gastropod (Mollusca; Gastropoda) in Pulau Bidong, Terengganu, Malaysia. AACL Bioflux 11(4): 988-1000

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true