COMPOSITION OF BENTHIC DIATOM IN MANGROVE AREA, SUNGAI MELABAN, KOTA SAMARAHAN, SARAWAK.

The collection of benthic diatoms on a mudflat of Melaban River, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak was carrried out in March 2015 from five sampling stations. The diatom cells from each station were cleaned and later observed and identified under a compound microscopes and transmission electron microscope(TEM). A total 15 genera of benthic diatoms were identified, including Amphiprora, Amphora, Bacillaria, Cyclindrotheca, Cyclindrothera, Cymbella, Encyonema, Frustulia, Gyrosigma, Licmophora, Navicular, Nitzschia, Pluerosigma, Stauroneis, and Tryblionella. The dominant genera were Navicula, Nitzschia, Amphiprora, and Cylindrotheca. The physico-chemical parameters of the water were measured during high tide, which showed dissolved oxygen in the range of 2.3mg/l- 2.6mg/l, pH 6.4-6.8, Temperature 29.2oC- 29.7oC, salinity 5ppt- 6ppt, and turbidity 3.65NTU-6.285NTU