Species Diversity and Morphological Characteristics of Echinoderms in the Intertidal Zone of Ngentup Beach, South Malang: a Baseline Study for Coastal Monitoring Keanekaragaman Spesies dan Karakteristik Morfologi Echinodermata di Zona Intertidal Pantai Ngentup, Malang Selatan: Sebuah Studi Dasar untuk Pemantauan Pesisir

Abstract

The intertidal zone is a highly dynamic coastal ecosystem that is sensitive to environmental changes and anthropogenic pressures. The phylum Echinodermata is an important component of macrofauna whose presence can reflect the condition of coastal ecosystems. Previous research at Ngentup Beach (2020) documented the diversity of echinoderms under relatively low human pressure during the pandemic, but post-pandemic monitoring studies of the intertidal zone are not yet available. This study aims to identify echinoderm species based on morphological characteristics, determine diversity indices, and describe the physical-chemical parameters of the water as habitat indicators. The study was conducted in November 2025 using the transect-quadrant method in the intertidal zone of Ngentup Beach, South Malang. The results showed that 15 species of Echinodermata were found, consisting of the classes Asteroidea (3 species), Ophiuroidea (7 species), and Echinoidea (5 species), with dominance in the class Ophiuroidea. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H’) value of 1.308 indicates a moderate diversity category. The measured environmental parameters included temperature of 26.6°C, salinity of 30‰, and pH of 6.1. The results of this study provide updated data on echinoderm diversity and information on current habitat conditions as a basis for monitoring the coastal ecosystem at Ngentup Beach.