摘要：Leaf consuming mangrove crabs play an important role in the initial processing of litter in low to mid intertidal riverine and fringing forests. In Pichavaram mangrove, the sesarmid crabs are dominant, leading mostly herbivorous mode of life and play a vital role in the process of leaf degradation and thus in biogeochemical cycles. The gut content analysis also showed they are mainly consumed vascular plant matter (58.33 to 72.54%). Sesarmid crabs strongly preferred 40 day decomposed Avicennia marina leaves when both fresh and 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 90 and 100 days decomposed leaves of A. marina , Rhizophora mucronata and Acanthus ilicifolius were offered. Sesarmid crabs are important not only because of their burrowing activities, which can affect nutrient cycling and forest productivity but also their role as a link in the food web in the mangrove ecosystem.
