Fish Community Structure in Mangrove Ecosystem at Kedungmalang, Jepara Regency

Mangrove ecosystem at Kedungmalang has been reported experiencing an ecological damage. This condition directly or indirectly affect the organisms, including fish that live around the area ecosystem. The purpose of this study was to identify and determine the abundance the fish communities in mangrove ecosystem in the Kedungmalang Village, Kedung District, Jepara Regency. The research was conducted during May to August of 2011. The samples were taken in three location with true mangrove (Rhizophora sp.) and associate mangrove (Cyperus sp). The results of this study found 10 fish families, i.e. Mugilidae, Ariidae, Eleotridae, Pristigasteridae, Gobiidae, Drepanidae, Belonidae, Adrianichtyidae, Aplocheilidae, and Haemulidae. The most commonly found is Mugilidae, in the contrary, Belonidae was found to be the lowest abundance family. Mugillidae is euryhaline and catadramous species that enter estuaries and river during high tide and form big school in the waters with sandy or muddy bottom. The sample from Kedungmalang mainly juvenile of Mugillidae. In general, fish abundance at low tide is always higher than high tide. Abundance of fish in Rhizophora sp. was higher than those in Cyperus sp. both in the low tide or high tide.