Author(s): Ene E. Oku, Andem B. Andem., Eni G. Eni, Effiong K. Bassey

Abstract: The study investigated the Arthropod community of the Great Kwa river mangrove swamp within two sites. Site A represented a muddy flat with high water capacity while Site B represented a less muddy flat with low water capacity. Arthropod abundance increased during the wet season with a mean value (298.04+4.41a) for site A and (122.90+2.0a) for site B versus (198.49+2.30b) for site A and (75.44+1.21b) for site B during the dry season. There was a significant difference between arthropods collected during the wet season and the dry season (p <0.05). There was a notable effect of seasonal variation within all the different groups of arthropods sampled. The result showed that class Insecta was the most abundant group recording (71.2%), Crustacea (18.0%), Arachnida (7.6%), Diplopoda (2.0%), Symphyla (1.1%) and the least abundant was Chilopoda (0.1%).The study revealed a high distributionrnand abundance of arthropods in site. A when compared with site B. There was a significant difference at (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between Chilopoda over both sites (p >0.05). Finally species diversity analysis revealed that site A was more diverse with an index of 2.46 in comparison with site B having an index of 2.261.

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