A new species of Euconocephalus Karny, 1907 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae: Copiphorini) from India.

A new species, Euconocephalus narayanpurensis Kumar & Chand sp. nov., from India is described in this paper. The new species is similar to the African species Euconocephalus lineatipes (Bolívar, 1890), but differs from the latter in the smaller size, more acute humeral sinus, the narrowly rounded apex of elytra and convex male last abdominal tergite. A key to the Indian species of Euconocephalus Karny, 1907 is also provided.

An Updated Checklist of Free-living Marine Nematodes from Coastal India.

The present study provides an updated species list of free-living marine nematodes reported from coastal India (Coasts and Islands) based on the thorough consultation of literature published from 1956 to 2022. This exercise resulted in a total of 617 valid species belonging to 266 genera, 48 families, 21 superfamilies and 9 orders. Class Chromadorea comprises 487 species represented by 205 genera, while class Enoplea includes 130 species belonging to 61 genera. The most common family was Xyalidae, with 76 species and the least common families having a single species each were represented by Aegialoalaimidae, Rhadinematidae, Aphanolaimidae, Rhabditidae, Pandolaimidae and Rhabdodemaniidae. The checklist provides a robust framework for the distribution and biogeography of free-living marine nematodes from the Indian waters and could be used to relate with marine ecosystems of other countries.

Redescriptions of the type specimens of synonymous nominal taxa of sea snakes (Serpentes: Elapidae: Hydrophis, Laticauda) at the Zoological Survey of India.

We redescribe and illustrate the type specimens of ten taxa of sea snakes of the genera Hydrophis Latreille in Sonnini Latreille, 1801 and Laticauda Laurenti, 1768 in the collections of the Zoological Survey of India. The specimens comprise holotypes and syntypes of ten synonymous nominal taxa that represent seven valid nominal taxa. We here clarify that one specimen ZSI 8278 is a syntype of Hydrophis dayanus Stoliczka, 1872, not holotype as previously stated. In one case, four holotypes of four nominal taxa are synonyms of the same taxonHydrophis cyanocinctus Daudin, 1803. Many of these type specimens are herein first depicted in photographs in a publication.

Notes on seven Aglaopheniids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Aglaopheniidae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands with three new records to India.

Aglaopheniids were sampled from 48 survey locations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during September 2016 to January 2019. Seven species were encountered during the study period, of which three are first reports to India recorded from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, viz., Aglaophenia cupressina Lamouroux, 1816, Lytocarpia brevirostris (Busk, 1852) and L. delicatula (Busk, 1852). The descriptions of 4 species, viz., Gymnangium hians (Busk, 1852), Macrorhynchia philippina Kirchenpeuner, 1872, M. phoenicea (Busk, 1852) and Monoserius pennarius (Linnaeus, 1758), are provided after a taxonomic gap of 108 years from the Islands. Hydroids were observed to be growing on a variety of substrates; rocks, boulders, dead corals, polychaete tubes, ship hull and sand. Some associated fauna was catalogued as well such as the bivalve, Pterelectroma physoides (Lamarck, 1819) associated with G. hians (Busk, 1852), L. delicatula (Busk, 1852), M. phoenicea (Busk, 1852) and M. philippina Kirchenpauer, 1872. The hydroid specific nudibranch Lomanotus vermiformis Eliot, 1908 was observed on M. philippina Kirchenpauer, 1872 and an unidentified sea anemone was observed on the hydrocaulus of M. pennarius. The bathymetric distribution of the aglaopheniids were observed to be between 3-20m, with L. brevirostris and M. pennarius occurring in deeper waters, i.e., 10-20m.

A new distribution record of Albunea groeningi (Crustacea: Anomura: Decapoda: Albuneidae) from the Digha Coast, West Bengal, India.

Members of the genus Albunea Weber, 1795 (family Albuneidae) are commonly known as sand crabs. Albuneidae contains 59 species belonging to 13 genera (Boyko McLaughlin 2010; WoRMS 2019), of which four genera and nine species are known only as fossils. Most species are relatively uncommon and adapted to living in sandy habitats (Boyko Harvey 1999). Among the 24 species of Albunea, four are known only as fossils (WoRMS 2019). The diversity and distributions of most albuneids were reported by Boyko (2002, 2010).

Description of a new species of Nososticta Hagen (Odonata: Platycnemididae: Disparoneurinae) from Central Nicobar Islands, India.

A new damselfly species, Nososticta nancowra Rajeshkumar sp. nov. is described based on eight males and three females from Central Nicobar Islands, India. The diagnostic characteristics of the new species separating it from congeners are discussed. Morphological variations observed in the anal appendages of males and the pronotum of females are documented. A description of the new species using photographs and drawings is given. An identification key to species of the genus Nososticta occurring in Nicobar Islands is given for both sexes.

New record of Hydrozoa Distichopora violacea (Pallas, 1766) (Anthoathecata: Stylasteridae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.

The class Hydrozoa consists of mostly marine and few freshwater organisms classified into 7 orders amongst which the order Anthoathecata consists of 48 families with approximately 1,140 valid species (Cartwright Collins 2007). Stylasteridae is one among the families that comprises the order Anthoathecata, and is characterized by a calcareous exoskeleton which is often brightly pigmented. The members of the family are commonly called lace corals. They are usually small in size and commonly found in crevices and caves in coral reef areas.

Description of two new pseudocerotids (Rahabditophora: Rhabditophora; Polycladida) from Andaman Nicobar Islands, India.

The genus Pseudoceros is one of the flashiest among polyclads and is represented by 93 species worldwide while the genus Acanthozoon consists of polyclads with papillae and 14 valid species distributed around the world. Pseudoceros meenae sp. nov. and Acanthozoon fuscobulbosum sp. nov., based on morphological and histological characters have been described in the present paper. Pseudoceros meenae sp. nov. is characterised by white to cream body with three marginal bands; inner black, middle orange and a white rim while and Acanthozoon fuscobulbosum, sp. nov. is characterised by numerous brown and bulbous papillae of variable sizes on dorsum.

Two new marine flatworms (Polycladida: Pseudocerotidae) from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India.

The genus Pseudoceros is one of the most flamboyant among polyclads and is represented by 87 species worldwide. Pseudoceros galatheensis sp. nov. and P. nigropunctatus sp. nov., based on morphological and histological characters, have been described in the present paper. Both species had been photographed in the past from other parts of the world but lacked formal description. These are an addition to the polyclad fauna of the world described from India.

Two new Pseudoceros (Polycladida: Pseudocerotidae) and a Prostheceraeus (Polycladida: Euryleptidae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.

Polyclads are free-living marine flatworms known for their striking colour and patterns. These animals though frequently encountered are still understudied in the Indian context. The present paper describes three new species, two belonging to the genus Pseudoceros Lang, 1884 and one to the genus Prostheceraeus Schmarda, 1859. Pseudoceros auranticrinis sp. nov. is characterised by whitish cream background colour, brown mottling with numerous white and dark brown spots all over the body except margins and a smooth dorsal surface with orange pseudotentacles, Pseudoceros vishnui sp. nov. is characterised by having purple to violet spots on dorsum with margin made up of blue spots, while Prostheceraeus fuscolineatus sp. nov. is characterised by presence of brown longitudinal lines on dorsum and black erected tentacles. This is the first description of any species under the genus Prostheceraeus from central Indo-Pacific as well as Indian Ocean. Some insights on feeding behaviour of P. vishnui sp. nov. are also provided.

The effect of ship scrapping industry and its associated wastes on the biomass production and biodiversity of biota in in situ condition at Alang.

The main pollutants for the ship scrapping industry and its associated wastes at Alang are heavy metals, petroleum hydrocarbon and bacterial contaminations. The concentration of iron, manganese, cobalt, copper, zinc, lead, cadmium, nickel and mercury were 25 to 15,500% more at nearshore station of Alang as compared to control site at Piram. The concentration of heavy metals in the nearshore station of Alang was always higher than its concentration at 10 km away. The concentration of petroleum hydrocarbon was 16,973 and 53,900% more at the nearshore and 10 km away respectively at Alang as compared to controls. The concentration of chlorophyll-a and phaeophytin were in non-detectable range (< 0.2 and < 0.1 mg m3) or much lower concentration at both the stations of Alang as compared to controls. The total viable count, total coliform, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and other Vibrio, Streptococcus faecalis, Shigella, Salmonella, Proteus, and Klebsiella were always higher (17%-605%) at the nearshore station of Alang as compared to control. Similar trend was observed at 10 km away from Alang. Bacteria in sediment also showed the same pattern of variation. Phytoplankton counts at the nearshore station and 10 km away from Alang were only slightly raised. In contrast to phytoplankton, the zooplankton showed considerable reduction of growth (-10 to -66%) at Alang.

Studies on the seasonal variations in the proximate composition of ascidians from the Palk Bay, Southeast coast of India.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the seasonal fluctuations of the proximate composition of the ascidians muscle. METHODS: The moisture content was estimated by drying 1 g of fresh tissue at a constant temperature at 105 °C for 24 h.The loss of weight was taken as moisture content. The total protein was estimated using the Biuret method. The total carbohydrate in dried sample was estimated spectrophotometrically following the phenol- sulphuric acid method. The lipid in the dried sample tissue was gravimetrically estimated following the chloroform-methanol mixture method. Ash content was determined gravimetrically by incinerating 1 g dried sample in muffle furnace at about 550 °C for 6 h and results are expressed in percentage. RESULTS: It was found very difficult to compare the monthly variations, as all the ten species, exhibited wide fluctuations in their proximate compositions. For the sake of convenience, average seasonal values were calculated by summing the monthly values. CONCLUSIONS: The proximate composition of the 10 commonly available ascidians showed high nutritive value and hence these groups especially solitary ascidians can be recommended for human consumption in terms of pickles, soup, curry and others after ensuring the safety of consumers.