Distribution and breeding site of Scylla serata (Forskal) in south west coast of Aceh

Mangrove forests function as breeding, spawning, and nursery ground for various commercial such as mud crabs. This study aims to analyze the habitat characteristics of mud crabs in the mangrove ecosystem as a breeding location on the southwest coast of Aceh Province. This research was conducted in the mangrove ecosystem in the districts of Aceh Jaya, West Aceh, and Southwest Aceh.The station for sampling and data measurement was determined by the purposive method. The characteristics of habitat including pH, temperature, and salinity, were analyzed by Completely Randomized Design using ANOVA. Sedimentation, dominant flora and fauna species was presented descriptively. The results showed that the pH values in the three districts ranged from 7.22 to 7.25 and did not show a significant difference (P>0.05). The temperature values ranged from 25 to 35°C, showing a significant difference (P<0.05) and the salinity ranged from 11.33‰ to 19.50‰ showing a significant difference (P<0.05). Sedimentation such as mud, sand, litter, and former shellfish. The main flora species were Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh, Rhizopora apiculata B, Rhizopora mucronata L, Nypah fructican W, Soneratia caseolaris L, and Pandanus tectorius Parkinson ex Zucc, whereas the fauna species are Scylla serrate (Forskål), Faunus ater L, Uca Sp, Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg). It can be concluded that the mangrove ecosystems in the southwest coast area are very potential to support the mud crab breeding process.