THE POPULATION OF SOLEN SP. (BIVALVIA: SOLENIDAE) FROM PAMEKASAN, INDONESIAReni Ambarwati and Bambang IrawanAbstract Solen is one of the genera found in the Solenidae. In Indonesia, as in other Southeast Asian countries, Solen species are widely used by local communities, both for consumption and trade. The coastal water of Madura Island and the Northern shores of East Java are well known as the centre of biodiversity of Solen. Solen from Pamekasan, which is located at the southern shores of Madura, reveals some differences compared than other Solen found in East Java. This research is aimed to describe the population structure of Solen from Pamekasan, Indonesia. The samples were collected from two research stations in Pamekasan, namely CandiPolagan and Kotasek and one of research station located out of Pamekasan, namely Kenjeran. In each research station, the samples were collected from ten samplings quadrant sized 1x1 m. The samples were preserved in 70% alcohol. The density of the population was examined and the morphometric parameters of the shell were measured using a caliper. The results showed that the population density of Solen in CandiPolagan was 15.4 idv/m2, while the population density of Solen in Kotasek was 13.2 idv/m2. This population density decreased compared to previous year. The most abundant group size in Candi Polagan was 15-25mm, while the most abundant group size in Kotasek was 31-35 mm. Solen from Pamekasan was significantly smaller than other Solen reported from Indonesia. The average length of the shell from Candi Polagan was 12.20-36.35 (21.64±4.057) mm, meanwhile the average length of the shell from Candi Polagan was 12.20-6.35 (21.64±4.057) mm. Hence, further detailed study on this taxon is urgently needed. |