Dataset of microplastics in the mangrove brachyuran crabs at Setiu Wetlands, Peninsular Malaysia

The present dataset provides information on the abundance of microplastics (MPs) in relation to different feeding habits of the four mangrove brachyuran crab species namely, Parasesarma eumolpe, Austruca annulipes, Metaplax elegans and Scylla olivacea at Setiu Wetlands in Peninsular Malaysia. Three sites namely, Pulau Layat (upstream, close to the core mangrove zone), Kampung Pengkalan Gelap (midstream, close to the settlements), and Pulau Sutung (downstream, close to the shifted river mouth) were chosen for the sample collection (through hand catch method and traps) in both the dry (Feb-Mar 2021) and the wet (Dec 2021 - Jan 2022) seasons. The cardiac stomach of each crab was dissected, digested in potassium hydroxide and then filtered through a 1.6 µm pore size glass fibre filter using the vacuum pump. The abundance, type and colour of MPs per crab individual were determined under a stereomicroscope (Carl Zeiss Stemi 508, China) attached to the digital camera (Axiocam 208 colour). The general abundance of MPs was found in the order of carnivorous S. olivacea > microphytobenthos feeder A. annulipes > herbivorous P. eumolpe > detritivorous M. elegans. The data also reveal morphometric measurements such as body weight, gut weight, carapace width and carapace length of the crab specimens. The information given in this article is useful for study replications and scientific comparisons, especially with brachyuran crabs and other organisms with similar feeding guilds, in the mangroves of Malaysia and elsewhere.