MORPHOMOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT OF Brotia sp. AND ITS SEDIMENT GRAIN SIZE PREFERENCES AT KEMAMAN AND SETIU, TERENGGANU
Keywords:
Brotia sp., freshwater, morphology, sediment grain size, sustainability.Abstract
Brotia sp. is a freshwater snail that belongs to phylum Mollusca under the family Pachychilidae. Brotia sp. has variations in its morphological characteristics such as shape, size, and occupied different type of environments. However, this species has been reported to be in decline especially in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Currently, there is a gap in determining its morphological features and preferences of sediment chosen by Brotia sp. Therefore, this study aims to provide baseline information on morphological features of Brotia sp. and to investigate sediment grain size and total carbon content associated with their habitat. Sampling was carried out at two sites which are Felda Cherul, Kemaman and Sungai Sri Bayas, Setiu. All samples were measured for shell length and width. Sediment samples were collected and sieved through seven different mesh sizes. Total carbon in sediment samples was also determined by using Loss on Ignition (LOI) method. 67 individuals from each site were measured. In Kemaman, shell length of Brotia sp. ranged from 5.50 to 7.80 cm (mean, 6.57 ± 0.64) meanwhile the width ranged from 1.70 to 2.50 cm (mean, 2.06 ± 0.23). In Setiu, the shell length of Brotia sp. ranged from 2.10 to 5.80 cm (mean, 4.28 ± 1.03) and the width ranged from 1.00 to 1.90 cm (1.46 ± 0.25). In addition, the sediment at Felda Cherul, Kemaman had the highest percentage composition of grain size at 500 μm (coarse), accounting for 41%, while the total carbon content in the sediment was recorded at 3.8%. This study provides baseline information about Brotia sp. Which is beneficial for the management and sustainability of the species. Further investigation on their ecological importance in the freshwater ecosystem is recommended.
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