Pradina Purwati, Edi Kusmanto and Muhajirin
Pusat Penelitian Oseanografi – LIPI, Jl. Pasir Putih I, Ancol Timur, Jakarta 14430
Periods during which holothurians expose themselves are necessary to be acknowledged prior to do in situ observation. Twenty four hour observation on holothurian specieses was conducted around new moon. Two sites were marked at Medana Bay, West Lombok: a site where Holothuria erinaceus and H.arenicola laid in u-shaped under the bottom surface in a compact sandy area, and another site where H.albiventer and Stichopus vastus burrowed and shared habitat among sea grass. A Tidal Gauge SBE 26 with salinity and temperature sensors was set to record the oceanographycal parameters in 5 min interval.
The results showed that low tide gave more influence than salinity or water temperature change to the exposure of the observed holothurians. The holothurians uncovered themselves actively and backed to burrow slowly coincided with the rising tide. This phenomenon was different from that given in Bohadschia marmorata inhabiting Micronesian waters (Clouse 1997).
The results justify the importance of afternoon low tide in in situ observations including estimating the population size and potential of the holothurians in particular shallow waters.
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Paper Outline:
1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
Acknowledgment
References
