Diversity of crabs in Tekkali creek, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Tekkali Creek is located on the East coast of India in Srikakulam District, Andhra Pradesh being connected by different channels, canals, streams etc. The creek was surveyed for different crab populations. Fifteen species belonging to five families– Ocypodidae, Grapsidae, Sesarmidae, Portinidae and Varunidae and nine genera- Ocypode, Uca, Grapsus, Sesarma, Perisesarma, Episesarma, Portunus, Scylla and Hemigrapsus were recorded. Of the species identified seven were marine and eight were brackish water.