HABITAT USE AND SPECIES RICHNESS OF MARINE MOLLUSCS ALONG THE TUTICORIN COAST, GULF OF MANNAR, INDIA

Molluscs are considered the largest marine phylum, comprising about 23% of all marine organisms. Numerous molluscs also live in freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Gastropods and bivalves were collected from different stations in the coastal area of the Gulf of Mannar on the Tuticorin Coast, Tamil Nadu, India. In the present investigation, 30 species of gastropod fauna and 13 species of bivalve fauna were recorded from January 2021 to June 2021. During the study period, the bivalves Babylonia spirata and Pinctada fucata were abundant among the gastropods. The maximum density of gastropod and bivalve fauna was recorded at Therespuram. This research is an attempt to gain a better understanding of the possibility of ecological value and ecosystem conservation of molluscan fauna.