First post-tsunami report of Coconut Crab Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767) (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Coenobitidae) in Car Nicobar Island, Nicobar Archipelago
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9514.17.5.27021-27025Keywords:
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Anomura, coastal ecosystem, crustacean, distribution, habitat loss, island biodiversity, recovery, tropical ecologyAbstract
Remote islands in the Indo-Pacific are crucial habitats for Birgus latro, the world’s largest terrestrial arthropod. The 2004 tsunami severely impacted its populations in the Nicobar Archipelago, with no sightings on Car Nicobar Island. This study documents the first post-tsunami opportunistic record, highlighting the species’ resilience and extending its northernmost distribution in the Nicobar group of islands.
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