UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

Subarnarekha estuary is important for edible faunal diversity (fish, crab and prawn) in East Coast of India. Prawns are collected throughout the year from January 2023 to December 2024 at two sites Kumbhirgari/Kirtania (S-I) and Dogra (S-II) of the river. Variant environment provides different prawn community resources. Commercially important adult penaeid prawns are found at S-II and both juvenile and adult penaeid as well as palaemonid prawns are found at S-I. These two different salinity gradient environments are formed mainly due to tidal activity as a result of lunar cycle. Salinity range at S-I and S-II are (0.1-29) ppt and (14-32) ppt respectively. Total 12 species of penaeid and 3 palaemonid prawns were identified from S-I whereas the respective penaeid and palaemonid species are 7 and 1at S-II. Most abundant prawns at S-I are Metapenaeus ensis (41.3%), Penaeus merguiensis (13.2%), Metapenaeus lysianassa (11.6%), Macrobrachium rosenbergii (8.2%), Helleropenaeopsis sculptilis (6.9%), Metapenaeus brevicornis (6.3%), Exopalaemon stylifera (5.8%), Penaeus japonicus (2.5%), Metapenaeus affinis (1.2%), Macrobrachium equidense (1.1%), Parapenaeopsis stylifera coromandelica (0.7%) and at S-II are Parapenaeopsis stylifera coromandelica (56.3%), Exopalaemon stylifera (17.2%), Penaeus merguiensis (8.6%), Metapenaeus brevicornis (6.9%), Helleropenaeopsis hardwickii (3.7%), Alcockpenaeopsis uncta (3.4%), Metapenaeus lysianassa (3.2%). Sorensen’s quotient of similarity is 0.43 indicate habitats possesses moderately dissimilar prawn community structure. Diversity index like Shanon-Weiner’s index (H՜), Simpson’s index (D) and Pielou’s evenness index (J) values are 1.9, 1.4, 0.8, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.6 at S-I & S-II respectively indicate that the environment is moderately stable for both sites, high diversity and species distribute more evenly at S-I rather than S-II respectively. Such type of study informed to the distribution and availability of prawns in the lower reaches of the river will certainly be helpful to the fisherman community and to take decision if any degradation occur due to natural or anthropogenic activity to protect and sustainable management restoration of the natural environment and its resources for future developing necessity.