Temporal distribution of shellfish assemblage in the Karnaphuli estuary, Bangladesh

Abstract

This study covers temporal distribution of shellfish species composition, abundance and water quality parameters in the Karnaphuli Estuary, Bangladesh. Samplings of shellfishes were done using estuarine set bag net along with sampling of water quality parameters in winter, pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon from 2013 to 2014. All of the multivariate analyses were performed using PRIMER V6. A total of 18 species of fish belonging to 12 families were identified of which most dominant species was found <i>Exopalaemon styliferus</i> (31.19%) followed by <i>Parapenaeopsis sculpptilis</i> (13.53%), <i>Charybdis natator</i> (12.85%), <i>Macrobrachium mirabile</i> (12.76%), as the major dominant species. Analysis of similarity showed significant differences among seasons. Cluster analysis formed three groups and appearances, 53% similarity while post-monsoon displayed separate. The canonical correspondence analysis indicates temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen as the three most important environmental parameters shaping the species diversity structure.