Impact of different Environment parameters on the diversity of mudskipper in Goa Estuary

Mudskippers are important for their biological and eco-toxicological studies and recognized as potential Bio-indicator in environmental monitoring and assessments of coastal waters and tropical or subtropical soft bottom intertidal systems. Mudskippers are very sensitive to ambient environment and this potential would be beneficial for new researches on this species especially its ecological importance in detecting pollution levels in coastal water ecosystems. Using these organisms as bio-indicator of pollution, environmental quality programme could be established. Regularly discharged pollutants have imminent detrimental effect on the flora and fauna of coastal ecosystems especially mangrove ecosystems and tropical mudflats. Abundance and distribution of mudskippers on land as well as in coastal waters could be considered as a direct indicator of habitat health. Mudskipper is a species of fish that mostly found in the estuaries and coastal areas with mud substrates. This fish can adapt to wet conditions and change temperatures by hiding in the holes around the mangrove. The purpose of this study was to identify the diversity of mudskipper fish according to the environmental conditions of estuarine in Goa. The study was conducted in April-June 2018, with two observation stations. These stations were based on the characteristic differences in the estuary waters of Goa. This study used purposive sampling method. Data analysis used an ecological index (diversity index, uniformity, and dominance). The results showed that the diversity index was a moderate category (1.5858-1.5845). The distribution of species and individuals were spread evenly in each community while the environmental parameters were temperature (23-300C), salinity (20- 30 ppt), pH (7.1-8.1), Do (1.55-2.16), BOD (0.42-0.89), BOT (11.14-29.39. The clay (muddy) substrates strongly supported mudskipper live in the estuary. Mudskippers are members of the subfamily oxydercinae (tribe periothalamini murdy (1989) within the family gobidie (gobies). They are completely amphibious fish that can use their pectoral fins to walk on land. Being amphious, they are unique adapted to intertidal habits, unlike most fish in such habitats, which survive the retreat of the tide by hiding under wet seaweed or in tidal pools. Mudskippers are quiet active when they are out of water, feeding and interacting with one another. Mudskipper constitute a group of 25 air- breathing species in four genera which contain periopthalamus, periopthalamodon, Boleophthalmus and Scartielaeos) that are the most derived and the most amphibious of the ten genera of the telecoast subfamily oxudercinue (Gobidue; Murdy, 1989, Clayton 1993, Grahum 1997, Ayuilar 2000)