Present Scenario of Corals in Tsunami Affected Katchal and Teressa Islands of Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago

The density and diversity of corals and their associated faunal communities were investigated by underwater survey in Katchal and Teressa Islands of Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago in order to assess the post-tsunami status of corals. The density of scleractinian corals in Katchal Island is 1-13 colonies/10m², and in Teressa Island it ranged from1 to 18 colonies/10m². Fifteen species of scleractinian corals belonging to 13 genera and 6 families with the species diversity of 0.98 were identified during the survey in Katchal Island. Whereas in Teressa Islands 25 species of corals under 14 genera and 7 families with the species diversity of 1.17 have been reported. The density and diversity of coral associated faunal communities such as zooplankton, octocorals, sponges, molluscs and echinoderms were also studied at both the islands.