Records of the Zoological Survey of India - A Journal of Indian Zoology

S. Kumaralingam ¹, C. Raghunathan ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, Port Blair-744102, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is located in Bay of Bengal with an area of 8269 km². Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprised of 572 islands spread in a linear distance of nearly 800 kms. These undulating islands are covered with dense forests and an endless variety of exotic flora and fauna between Burma and Indonesia. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are recently recognized as a world-class eco-tourist destination to discover the underwater treasures of marine life. Malacostraca includes most of the large and familiar crustaceans such as crabs, shrimps, lobsters, crayfish, isopods, amphipods and others. Primitively the trunk of malacostraca consists of 15 segments, eight in the thorax and seven in the abdomen but in most recent species the abdomen has only six segments. Decapoda, the largest and most familiar crustaceans with 10,000 species of crabs, shrimps, crayfishes, lobsters, and their relatives. Like the shrimps and lobsters, crabs belong to the order Decapoda (=“ten-legged”, referring to the 10 thoracic appendages normally present in these crustaceans). Crabs can be classified into 2 main groups, brachyuran crabs (infraorder Brachyura) and anomuran crabs (infraorder Anomura). Most species of Brachyura, or true crabs, can easily be separated from the so-called “false crabs” belonging to the infraorder Anomura by having 4 pairs of well-developed walking legs. Brachyuran crabs are bioenergetically vital faunal component of the mangrove ecosystem while decapod crustaceans are dominant in coral habitat.

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P. Jasmine ¹, Jayeeta Dey ¹, Samir Hansda ¹, Aswani K. Ghosh ¹, B. Tripathy ¹, A. K. Mukherjee ¹, K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems are biologically and economically productive and at the same time they are the places of dynamic change due to natural and anthropogenic pressures. These changes are directly or indirectly affecting the community structure of the organisms and essentially reflect ecological quality of the habitats (Vladica and Snezana, 1999). India is having a large coastline of 8000 km, along the west and east coasts, which include many biotopes such as estuaries, lagoons, backwaters, mangroves, salt marshes, coral reefs etc. The east coast coastline encompasses almost all types of intertidal habitats such as rocky intertidal zones, salt marshes, mud flats, sea grass beds and sandy beaches, sharing this coastline to different extents. The shape and the sediment characteristics of the coastal ecosystems are highly sensitive to oceanographic forcing, wave energy, near shore wave transformation, wave setup, storm surge, erosion, tides and near shore circulation (Kumar et al., 2006 and Krishnamurthy and Subbramaiah, 1972). These habitats provide a transition zone between terrestrial and marine ecosystems and are vulnerable to human impacts from both land and ocean based activities, including coastal development, urban run-off, marine pollution and recreational activities. The organisms in these zones become specially adapted to survive the rapid and significant changes in temperature, salinity, moisture, pH, dissolved oxygen, and food supply that occur on a daily basis due to the movement of the tides (Levington, 1995). The Intertidal zones also provide food not only for humans, but also for marine species and migrating birds. Thus intertidal ecosystems are valuable sites for investigation of relationships between biodiversity and the coastal ecosystem function (Vaghela et al., 2010).

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Smitanjali Choudhury ¹, C. Raghunathan ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Andaman Nicobar Regional Centre, Andaman and Nicobar Islands -744102, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Information on Actiniarian sea anemone in Andaman & Nicobar Archipelago were limited to the works of Parulekar (1967, 1968, 1969a, b, 1971 & 1990), until two recent works of Madhu and Madhu (2007) and Raghunathan et al. (2014) which reported 20 species from this locality. Of which, five species are new records to India and one species is new distributional record to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Keywords

Sea Anemone, New Record, Black Coral, Andaman and Nicobar Island, India.

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K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, IN

Abstract

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a premier taxonomic research organization, under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Govt. of India, engaged in zoological research and documentation of the faunal resources of the country. It was established on 1^st July 1916 to promote the survey, exploration and research on the fauna of the Indian Region.

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K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, IN

Abstract

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a premier taxonomic research organization, under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Govt. of India, engaged in zoological research and documentation of the faunal resources of the country. It was established on 1^st July 1916 to promote the survey, exploration and research on the fauna of the Indian Region.

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K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, IN

Abstract

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a premier taxonomic research organization, under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Govt. of India, engaged in zoological research and documentation of the faunal resources of the country. It was established on 1^st July 1916 to promote the survey, exploration and research on the fauna of the Indian Region.

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K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, IN

Abstract

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a premier taxonomic research organization, under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Govt. of India, engaged in zoological research and documentation of the faunal resources of the country. It was established on 1^st July 1916 to promote the survey, exploration and research on the fauna of the Indian Region.

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L. Bindu ¹, G. Sivaleela ¹, Rajkumar Rajan ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Marine Biology Regional Centre, Chennai-600 028, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, Kolkata-700 053, IN

Abstract

Palk Bay is situated in the southeast coast of India between latitude 9° 55’-10° 45’ N and longitude 78° 58’-79° 55’E. The Palk Bay itself is about 110 km long and is surrounded on the northern and western sides by the coastline of the state of Tamil Nadu in the mainland of India. Palk Bay is a shallow and fl at basin, the depth hardly exceeds 9 metres on an average.

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C. Raghunathan ¹, R. Raghuraman ¹, Smitanjali Choudhury ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, Port Blair-744102, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata - 700053, IN

Abstract

Sea anemones are brightly coloured, classified under the phylum Cnidaria, inhabit coastal waters throughout the world, but are particularly abundant in tropical oceans. They are distributed in intertidal to deep oceans and live attached with rocks, sea floor, shells and some forms burrow in the mud or sand. They are radial symmetric with columnar body have a single body opening, mouth which is surrounded by tentacles. However, body shape of the sea anemones is often related to the habitat in which they live. Sea anemones are solitary polyps and are considerably larger and heavier than the polyps of hydrozoans (Barnes, 1982). There are over 1000 species of sea anemones reported worldwide.

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K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, IN

Abstract

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a premier taxonomic research organization, under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Govt. of India, engaged in zoological research and documentation of the faunal resources of the country. It was established on 1^st July 1916 to promote the survey, exploration and research on the fauna of the Indian Region.

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G. Sivaleela ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Marine Biology Regional Centre Zoological Survey of India, 130, Santhome High Road, Chennai-28, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, IN

Abstract

The Harpacticoid Copepod inhabiting the different sediment habitat of Tamilnadu was studied from 2006 and 2007. A brief description of the density, sediment characters, total organic carbon, and vertical distribution in different sediment habitats, diversity and cluster analysis is given. The density of total Copepod individuals in these intertidal sediments ranged from 26 animals/100 cm³ to 1440 animals/100 cm³.

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G. Sivaleela ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Marine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Chennai-600 028, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, IN

Abstract

The foraminiferans are the most diverse phylum of meofauna. Foraminifera are found in all marine environments, they may be plankotic or benthic in mode of life. It has been estimated that the total number of foraminiferans species might be approximately 4000 living species of foraminifera. The present paper deals with the distribution and diversity of marine foraminiferans all over Tamilnadu Coast. Foraminiferal distribution has been reported by many workers. Foraminiferans were the most abundant group of meiofauna at all the sampling sites. The number of species per station ranged from 11 to 32.

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K. Venkataraman ¹, Rajkumar Rajan ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700053, IN

Abstract

Palk Bay is the sea between southeast of India and northwest of Sri Lanka, separated by Pamban Pass from Gulf of Mannar in the South and extends up to Kodiakarai coast in the North. The bay is characterized by a shallow basin with an average depth of 9 m. There is a well defined fringing reef which runs parallel to the shore, at the south west of the Palk Bay, extending 7.46 km from 09° 17' 14.8" N; 079° 11' 16.4" E at the East near Pamban to 09° 17' 34.4" N; 079° 06' 57.8" E towards the west of the bay, with the width varying from 200 m to 600 m at different places, and occurring at a maximum depth of 4 m.

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A. K. Sanyal ¹, K. Venkataraman ¹, J. K. De ¹, Bulganin Mitra ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipur, Kolkata, IN

Abstract

Climate change have impacts on marine, terrestrial and limnetic systems, and hence will influence future biological diversity of the globe. Present day Polar Regions experience greater rates of climatic change than elsewhere on the earth. The smallest shift of climate may threat to these uniquely adapted fauna of this extreme environment. However, some small areas of terrestrial habitat still supporting terrestrial and limnetic biotas have been continuously available for periods of time ranging from the several million to only a few thousand years.

Keywords

Antarctica, Schirmacher Oasis, Invertebrate Fauna.

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A. K. Sanyal ¹, J. K. De ¹, R. P. Das ¹, K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata - 700053, IN

Abstract

Captive breeding and subsequent reintroduction of a threatened species is an important and in some cases very successful tool for species conservation. Now-a-days re-introductions using captive-bred individuals are not uncommon than the translocations of wild species.

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K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, IN

Abstract

In order to enrich the "National Zoological Collection" (NZC) and to up date information on the occurrence and distribution of animal species in India Scientists/Naturalists and researchers working on animal taxonomy/systematics are requested to deposit their identified specimens to the Zoological Survey of India.

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G. Sivaleela ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Marine Biology Regional Centre, Chennai-600 028, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, IN

Abstract

The meiofauna inhabiting the different sediment habitat of Tamilnadu was studied. A brief description of the density, sediment characters, total organic carbon and vertical distribution in different sediment habitats.diversity and cluster analysis is given. All the typical meiofauna groups are present. A quantitative estimate of the diverse taxonomic groups encountered is given.The density of total meiofauna individuals in these intertidal sediements ranged from 26 animals/10 cm² to 1440 animals/10 cm².

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G. Sivaleela ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Marine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, 130, Santhome High Road, Chennai-600 028, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, IN

Abstract

Polychaetes are bristle-bearing segmented worms belonging to phylum Annelida, class Polychaeta. Polychaetes being the most dominant groups in benthic infaunal commtmities contribute about 80% to the total macrobenthic community and their diet include microbial (bacteria, microalgae, protists and fungi), meiobial and organic substance (Shou et al., 2009). In the trophic system, benthic fauna plays a significant role as they exploit all forms of food available in the sediment and form an important link in the energy transfer (Crisp, 1971, Shou et al, 2009). Polychaetes form an important component in the marine food chain especially for bottom fish and some mammals as they form an important source of food for demersal fish (Parulekar et al. 1982; Herman et al. 2000). Worldwide number of Polychaetes estimated as 8000 species (Bianchi & Morri, 2000; Fredj et al., 1992).

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G. Sivaleela ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Marine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Chennai-600 028, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, IN

Abstract

The foraminiferans are the most diverse phylum of mieofauna. Foraminifera are found in all marine environments, they may be planktic or benthic in mode of life. It has been estimated that the total number of foraminiferans species might be approximately 4000 living species of foraniinifera. The present paper deals with the distribution and diversity of marine foraminiferans all over Tamilnadu Coast. Foraminiferal distribution has been reported by many workers. Foraminiferans were the most abundant group of meiofauna at the sampling sites. The number species per station ranged from 11 to 32.

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G. Sivaleela ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Marine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, 130, Santhome High Road, Chennai-600 028, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, IN

Abstract

Aim of this research was to investigate meiofaunal movement patterns in day time at two stations in the polluted and unpolluted area in every three hours during full moon and new moon time during 2006 & 2007. Meiofauna was abundant in all samples, the animals are Harpacticoida, Nematoda, Oligochaeta, Tardigrada, Ostracoda etc.

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K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, IN

Abstract

In order to enrich the "National Zoological Collection" (NZC) and to up date information on the occurrence and distribution of animal species in India Scientists/Naturalists and researchers working on animal taxonomy/systematics are requested to deposit their identified specimens to the Zoological Survey of India.

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Rajkumar Rajan ¹, C. Venkatraman ¹, G. Sivaleela ¹, D. Paranthaman ¹, P. Padmanaban ¹, K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Marine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, 130, Santhome High Road, Chennai - 600 028, IN

Abstract

A portunid swimmer crab Lissocarcinus polybiodes Adams and White, 1848, which is usually free living or associated with hard corals (Stephenson, 1972), is shown to have commensal association with a sea star Luidia maculata MuUer and Troschel, 1842, is reported for the first time. Significantly, this is the second only report of this species from the Indian waters (Chennai Coast) after Alcock's (1899) description of specimens from Malabar, Orissa, Ganjam, Malabar and Andamans.

Keywords

Association, Portunidae, Lissocarcinus, Sea Star, Luidia, India.

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K. Venkataraman ¹

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, IN

Abstract

In order to enrich the "National Zoological Collection" (NZC) and to up date information on the occurrence and distribution of animal species in India Scientists/Naturalists and researchers working on animal taxonomy/systematics are requested to deposit their identified specimens to the Zoological Survey of India.

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J. S. Yogesh Kumar ¹, C. Raghunathan ¹, K. Venkataraman ²

Affiliations
1 Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicohar Regional Centre, National Coral Reef Research Institute, Port Blair-744102, Andaman and Nicohar Islands, IN
2 Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata - 700053, IN

Abstract

The order antipatharia is Black or Horny Corals. They are-like upright and plant-like forms, are arranged around an axial skeleton of black horny material bearing thorns. Most forms inhabit deep water and live in the tropics. Although black corals are among the most common azooxanthellate corals in tropical reefs, they are least studied group in Indian waters.

Keywords

Antipatharians, Cirrhipathes, Antipathes, Stichopathes, Cupressopathes, Myriopathes, Antipathella, Plumapathes, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

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