To Study the Diversity of Crab at Digha coast, West Bengal

Digha Beach is the most popular beach in West Bengal and is known for its long beach.The beach supports the life of various animals.Current research focuses on the composition, distribution, and abundance of different crabs along the coasts of Digha.This region also includes Tajpur, Jaldha, and shankarpur in Purba medinipur district.The study period was from June 2023 to the end of June 2024.A total of 18 species belonging to 9 families were identified, with 12 species collected in summer.Winter populations of commercially important lagoon crabs are gradually declining due to overfishing, fruit tree overharvesting, and various human activities on the beach.The most dominant families were Portunidae, and the main crab species are Scylla serrata, Ocypode quadrata, Portunus latipes, and P. sanguinolentus.In recent years, local people have been trying to convert wetlands to increase tiger shrimp production, leading to the reduction of the habitat and breeding place of these crabs.Additionally, sewage discharged from shrimp farms poses a serious threat to the crab population.Our observations show that crabs are most commonly seen in summer and less frequently in winter.