Upcoming BWV ReefTalk Sat 30 Sept

Mud Lobster MTV

Chanced upon a rare sighting of this keystone mangrove species aka mud lobster Thalassina anomala 1 sunny afternoon. Consider us lucky, unlucky for the poor lobster as it was badly entangled in some string most probably discarded by some irresponsible bugger. Thanks to a sharp eyed student, we managed to free the crustacean! WOO HOOO!!


Poor guy was kind of disorientated, didnt retreat back into its hole but trudged around the muddy pool & to our pleasant surprise, did what it does best! Burrow! So cool =o>


Where's my burrow??

Mud lobsters are key species in a mangrove community, digging and excavating in the mud. Thanks to these hardworkers, the mud is loosened and oxygenated, materials are recycled, making the substrate suitable for mangrove propagules to germinate. The volcano like mounds constructed as a result, is like a HDB flat for other animals e.g. ant Odontomachus malignus, the Tree-climbing crab Episesarma singaporense, the Mangrove mud shrimp Wolffogebia phuketensis, the spider Idioctis littoralis & the file snake Acrochordus granulatus. Without these shy little creatures, there will not be a healthy mangrove. If mud lobsters could talk, this featured crustacean star would perhaps give the best testimonial on how marine litter could kill however insignificant they might be to ignorant humans.