Sains Malaysiana 52(2)(2023): 355-368

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2023-5202-04

 

Spatial-Temporal Abundance and Diversity of Larval Fish in Different Water Bodies (Estuary and Adjacent Coastal Waters) from Sungai Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

(Kelimpahan Ruang-Masa dan Kepelbagaian Larva Ikan dalam Badan Air Berbeza (Muara dan Perairan Pantai Bersebelahan) dari Sungai Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia)

 

JING KAI OOI1, HUNG-YEN HSIEH2, LI LIAN WONG3 & YING GIAT SEAH1,4,*

 

1Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

2Graduate Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan (R.O.C), Taiwan, Province of China

3Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

4South China Sea Repository and Reference Centre, Institute Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Darul Iman, Malaysia

 

Received: 7 March 2022/Accepted: 11 November 2022

 

Abstract

During larval form, various factors will affect the distributions of fish which lead to spatio-temporal variation of their assemblage. Studies on the variation provide knowledge in understanding the fish ecology. Present study aims to survey the fish larval occurrence in the estuary of Sungai Terengganu and its adjacent waters. A total of 402 larvae samples were collected using a 100 μm mesh sized Bongo net. About 334 samples were identified belonging to 23 families while the rest (equivalent to 16.92% of total catch) were unidentifiable. Three most abundant recorded families are Gobiidae (19.65% of total catch, 2.22 indv. 100 m-3), Ambassidae (12.94% of total catch, 1.47 indv. 100 m-3) and Apogonidae (9.45% of total catch, 1.02 indv. 100 m-3). Based on cluster analysis, fish larvae were divided into two groups whereby one from estuary of Sungai Kuala Terengganu and another one from its adjacent coastal water with little overlapping between them. Estuary observed higher larval density than adjacent coastal waters while larval taxa diversity recorded to be higher in the adjacent coastal waters compared to the estuary. Throughout sampling months, two larval mean density peaks were observed during June 2019 (76.19 indv. 100 m-3) and January 2020 (105.38 indv. 100     m-3).

 

Keywords: Family composition; ichthyoplankton; spatial-temporal; South China Sea

 

Abstrak

Semasa dalam bentuk larva, pelbagai faktor akan mempengaruhi pengagihan ikan yang membawa kepada variasi himpunan ikan terhadap ruang-masa. Kajian ke atas variasi boleh menyediakan pengetahuan dalam memahami ekologi ikan. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk meninjau kejadian larva ikan di muara Sungai Terengganu dan perairan bersebelahannya. Sejumlah 402 sampel larva telah dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan Bongo net bersaiz mata pukat 100 μm. Sebanyak 334 sampel telah dikenal pasti kepunyaan kepada 23 famili manakala yang selebihnya (bersamaan dengan 16.92% jumlah tangkapan) tidak dapat dikenal pasti. Tiga rekod famili yang paling banyak ialah Gobiidae (19.65% jumlah tangkapan, 2.22 individu 100 m-3), Ambassidae (12.94% jumlah tangkapan, 1.47 individu 100 m-3) dan Apogonidae (9.45% jumlah tangkapan, 1.02 individu 100 m-3). Berdasarkan analisis kelompok, larva ikan dibahagikan kepada dua kumpulan dengan satu di dalam muara dan lagi satu di perairan bersebelahannya. Muara merekodkan kepadatan larva yang lebih tinggi daripada perairan pantai bersebelahan namun kepelbagaian larva yang lebih tinggi telah ditunjukkan di perairan pantai bersebelahannya. Sepanjang tempoh persampelan, dua min puncak kepadatan larva telah diperhatikan iaitu pada Jun 2019 (76.19 individu 100 m-3) dan Januari 2020 (105.38 individu 100 m-3).

 

Kata kunci: Iktioplankton; komposisi famili; Laut China Selatan; ruang-masa

 

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*Corresponding author; email: ygseah@umt.edu.my

 

 

 

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