THE ELASMOBRANCH NURSERY AREA OF JAKARTA BAY

Abstract

A study on the correlation between water, sediment qualities and the diversity of elasmobranchs in Jakarta Bay
has been conducted by the Research Center for Oceanography from the beginning of 2012. This paper presents a
part of the study focusing on elasmobranch diversity and its size composition. Elasmobranchs in the coastal area of
Jakarta Bay were collected using bottom gillnet every month to find out the species diversity and its size composition.
The 162 collected individuals from Jakarta Bay were classified into eight species of rays and one whaler shark.
Himantura gerrardi, H. uarnacoides, H. walga and Neotrygon kuhlii were the most common species found in this
area. Interestingly, most specimens found in the area were immature and new born animals. This finding indicates
that the coastal area of Jakarta Bay is one of nursery areas of most elasmobranchs living in adjacent waters although
the bay has been heavily polluted.