Thermal tolerance of the West African fiddler crab ( Uca tangeri ) to heated effluents from gas flare sites

Experiments were conducted both at the heated effluents discharge point of a gas flare station in the Niger Delta region and in the laboratory to determine the thermal tolerance of the West African fiddler crab (Uca tangeri). The critical thermal maxima (CTM) was 38oC. Time required for 100% recovery vary from 3 minutes - 50 minutes at temperature ranging 33oC - 37oC after 30 mins exposure. Mortality were observed from 38oC. Elevated temperature could therefore be a lethal factor which determines the distribution of Uca tangeri around heated effluents discharge point of a gas flare station. Keywords: Thermal tolerance Uca tangeri Niger Delta [Global Jnl Environ Sci Vol.2(1) 2003: 41-45]