Table 2 correlations between environmental factors and abundance of six crab species in the Negombo estuary
Distribution pattern of crabs with the zonation of mangrove flora showed that M. thukuhar and juveniles of unidentified species were abundant in the zone dominated by Rhizophora apiculata, R. mucronata and bruguiera gymnorhiza (Figure 8) . S. guttatum and E. vesicolor were found mostly confined to the zone dominanted by A vicennia marina and Lumnitzera racemosa