Crab diversity and crab potential as support ecotourism in Teleng Ria, Grindulu and Siwil Beach, Pacitan, East Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Irwansyah RM, Azzahra SIN, Darmastuti SA, Ramadhandi AR, Firdaus O, Daeni F, Safitri N, Fajri OPA, Nugroho GN, Naim DM, Setyawan AD. 2021. Crab diversity and crab potential as support ecotourism in Teleng Ria, Grindulu and Siwil Beach, Pacitan, East Java, Indonesia. Intl J Bonorowo Wetlands 11: 75-83. The mangrove area in Pacitan District, Pacitan, East Java, Indonesia is generally not polluted. Therefore, the land is suitable for growing conditions from mangrove plants and has great potential as a mangrove area with ecotourism management in Indonesia. Ecotourism activities in mangrove areas, in principle, are the use of mangrove areas while maintaining the biological/ecological functions of mangrove areas that have social and economic value for local community. The mangrove ecosystem is a habitat of various species of Crustacea, such as the crab. Crabs are live in coastal/mangrove ecosystems and one of the key species that have a very important role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. The study about diversity of crabs in the mangrove area is very important because it will improve the quality of mangrove and potentially support ecotourism in the mangrove ecosystem. This study aims to determine the diversity of the crab and its potential to support ecotourism if the Pacitan Beaches will be ecotourism in the future. This research was conducted in Teleng Ria Beach, Grindulu Beach, and Siwil Beach, Pacitan, East Java, Indonesia in November 2021. Plots of 10 x 10 m2 are made to record the species and the number of individual crab species. The result found five species of crab,i.e. Austruca annulipes (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837), Coenobita perlatus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837), Ocypode kuhlii (De Haan, 1835), Perisesarma guttatum (A. Milne-Edwards, 1869), and Scylla serrata (Forsskål, 1775). The total crab diversity index of 1.25 is included in the medium category. The morphology, activity, number of individuals and distribution of each crabs species in an ecotourism area will increase the attractiveness of tourists to visit. For example, the morphology of C. perlatus that has the red color as a strawberry sometimes has a home/the shells of the Mollusca which color and unique shape so that add appeal to be seen. Then, the crab A. annulipes that like to dance and play the violin with the claw can also be attractions drawing tourists. Hopefully, the data can be a reference for the managers of the mangrove area in developing ecotourism and conservation of mangrove forest.