Preliminary morphological and molecular study on ghost crabs from Satang Island and Sematan, Sarawak

• Main Author: Uzma Hazwani, bt Arif
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, (UNIMAS) 2011
• Subjects: QE Geology; SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/6432/4/Uzma%28fulltext%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/6432/

Ocypode ceratophthalmus commonly known as ghost crabs could be found abundance around the sandy beaches area worldwide. They act as bio-indicator for clean sandy beaches as well as pest to turtles conservation sites. Several studies related to O.ceratophthalmus on ecology, behaviour and morphology had been carried out outside Malaysia but no study had been carried out in Sarawak beaches. Therefore, this study is designed to document the morphological characteristics of the ghost crabs and to access the genetic diversity among ghost crabs from Satang Island and Sematan area. Modified CTAB protocol was used to obtain the total genomic DNA , followed by PCR-RAPD technique using primer OPA-01. In addition, weight, carapace length, carapace width, chelipeds height and chelipeds length were recorded. PCR-RAPD profile using OPA-01 primer was successfully generated 86.36% polymorphism. For male ghost crabs, there was no significant different (T-test, p>0.05) between Satang Island and Sematan sample in term of carapace width, carapace length, chelipeds height, chelipeds width and weight. For female ghost crabs, there only have significant different (T-test, p>0.05) between Satang Island and Sematan sample in term of carapace length and carapace width while there is no significant different (T-test, p<0.05) in terms of chelipeds height, chelipeds length and weight.