Abstract
The diversity, distribution, occurrence and abundance of echinoderms were studied in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve during April 2010 through May 2012. Standard prawn trawl net, modified with added sinkers/bobbins, was used to assess the echinoderms. A total swept area of 0.45204 km2 in Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GoMBR) (47 trawls) and 0.23265 km2 in Palk Bay (30 trawls) was covered. Forty-seven species of echinoderms under 21 families were encountered during this survey. The species diversity, species abundance and species richness values were high in GoMBR and low in Palk Bay. The sea grass bed, sandy bottom and good coral reef cover, which might be the attracted for more species in GoMBR. Since most of the echinoderms are very closely associated with coral reef ecosystem either for food, shelter or reproduction, it is utmost important to save the coral reef ecosystem which in turn conserves the echinoderms.
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Acknowledgments
We are very grateful to Director, Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust, Ramanathapuram for their financial assistance for this survey. We thank Chief Wildlife Warden, Chennai, Wildlife Warden, Gulf of Mannar and Staffs of Tamil Nadu Forest Department for their permission and carry out this work.
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Appendix
Appendix
Checklist of echinoderms in the waters of the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar
Name of the species | James (1988) | Venkataraman et al. (2002) | Present study |
|---|---|---|---|
Class: Crinoidea | |||
Family: Comasteridae | |||
Capillaster multiradiatus (Linnaeus, 1758) | * | * | |
Comanthina schlegeli (P. H. Carpenter, 1881) | * | * | |
Comanthus parvicirrus (J. Muller, 1841) | * | * | |
Comaster gracilis (Hartlaub, 1893) | * | ||
Cometella stelligera (P. H. Carpenter) | * | * | |
Family: Himerometridae | |||
Heterometra reynaudi (J. Muller, 1846) | * | * | |
Family: Mariametridae | |||
Lamprometra palmata (J. Muller, 1841) | * | * | |
Stephanometra indica (Smith, 1876) | * | * | |
Family: Tropiometridae | |||
Tropiometra carinata (Lamarck, 1816) | * | * | * |
Class: Asteroidea | |||
Order: Paxillosida | |||
Family: Luidiidae | * | ||
Luidia hardwicki (Gray, 1980) | |||
Luidia maculata Muller and Troschel, 1810 | * | * | |
Family: Astropectinidae | |||
Astropecten bengalensis Doderlein, 1917 | * | ||
Astropecten indicus Doderlein, 1889 | * | * | * |
Astropecten hemprichi Muller and Troschel, 1842 | * | * | |
Astropecten monacanthus Sladen, 1883 | * | * | * |
Astropecten polyacanthus Müller & Troschel, 1842 | * | * | |
Craspidaster hesperus (Muller and Troschel, 1840) | * | ||
Family: Asterinidae | |||
Asterina burtoni Gray, 1840 | * | * | * |
Asterina coronata V. Martens, 1866 | * | * | |
Asterina lorioli Koehler, 1910 | * | * | |
Asterina sarasini (de Loriol, 1897) | * | * | |
Tegulaster ceylonica (Doederlein, 1888) | * | ||
Family: Goniasteridae | |||
Anthenea pentagonula (Lamarck, 1816) | * | * | * |
Anthenea tuberculosa (Gray, 1847) | * | ||
Goniodiscaster scaber (Mobius, 1859) | * | * | * |
Siraster tuberculatus H. L. Clark, 1915 | * | * | |
Stellaster equestris (Retzius, 1805) | * | * | |
Family: Oreasteriidae | |||
Asterodiscides elegans Gray, 1847 | * | * | |
Culcita schmideliana (Ritzius, 1806) | * | * | |
Pentaceraster mammillatus (Audoin, 1826) | * | ||
Pentaceraster affinis (Muller and Troschel, 1842) | * | * | |
Pentaceraster regulus (Muller and Troschel, 1842) | * | * | |
Poraster superbus (Mobius, 1859) | * | ||
Protoreaster lincki (de Blainville, 1834) | * | * | * |
Family: Ophidiasteridae | |||
Linckia laevigata (Linnaeus, 1758) | * | * | * |
Linckia multifora (Lamarck, 1816) | * | * | * |
Andora faouzii (Macan, 1938) | * | * | |
Nardoa mollis de Loriol, 1891 | * | – | |
Family: Pterasteridae | |||
Euretaster cribrosus (V. Mortens, 1867) | * | * | |
Family: Echinasteridae | |||
Echinaster purpureus (Gray, 1840) | * | * | * |
Class: Ophiuroidea | |||
Family: Ophiomyxidae | |||
Ophiomyxa australis Lutken, 1869 | * | ||
Family: Gorgonocephalidae | |||
Astroboa clavata (Lyman, 1861) | * | ||
Family: Amphiuridae | |||
Amphioplus (Amphioplus) gravelyi James, 1970 | * | ||
Amphioplus squamata (D. Chiaje, 1829) | * | * | |
Dougaloplus echinatus (Ljungman, 1867) | * | * | |
Family: Ophiactidae | |||
Ophiactis savignyi (Muller and Troschel, 1842) | * | * | |
Ophiactis modesta Brock, 1888 | * | * | |
Family: Ophiotrichidae | |||
Gymnolophus obscura (Ljungman, 1867) | * | ||
Macrophiothrix aspidota (Muller and Troschel, 1842) | * | * | |
Macrophiothrix longipeda (Lamarck, 1816) | * | * | |
Macrophiothrix variabilis (Duncan, 1887) | * | * | |
Ophiocnemis marmorata (Lamarck, 1816) | * | * | * |
Ophiothrix exigua Lyman, 1874 | * | * | |
Ophiothrix accedens Koehler, 1930 | * | * | |
Ophiothrix (Keystonea) nereidina (Lamarck, 1816) | * | ||
Ophiogymna lineata H. L. Clark, 1938 | * | ||
Ophiothela danae Verrill, 1869 | * | * | |
Ophiocoma scolopendrina (Lamarck, 1826) | * | * | |
Ophiocoma erinaceus Muller and Troschel, 1842 | * | ||
Ophiocomella sexradia (Duncan, 1887) | * | * | |
Ophionereis dubia (Muller and Troschel, 1842) | * | * | |
Ophiarachnella gorgonia (Muller and Troschel, 1842) | * | * | * |
Ophiarchnella infernalis (Muller and Troschel, 1842) | * | ||
Ophiogymna elegans (Ljungman, 1866) | * | ||
Ophiomaza cacaotica Lyman, 1871 | * | ||
Class: Echinoidea | |||
Family: Cidaridae | |||
Prionocidaris baculosa (Lamarck, 1816) | * | ||
Family: Diadematidae | |||
Astropyga radiata (Leske, 1778) | * | * | * |
Echinothrix diadema (Linnaeus, 1758) | * | ||
Family: Stomopneustidae | |||
Stomopneustes variolaris (Lamarck, 1816) | * | * | * |
Family: Temnopleuridae | |||
Salmaciella dussumieri (L. Agassiz and Desor, 1846) | * | * | |
Salmacis bicolor (L. Agassiz and Desor, 1846) | * | * | * |
Salmacis virgulata (L. Agassiz and Desor, 1846) | * | * | * |
Temnopleurus alexandri (Bell, 1880) | * | ||
Temnopleurus toreumaticus (Leske, 1778) | * | * | * |
Family: Toxopneustidae | |||
Pseudoboletia maculata Torschel, 1869 | * | ||
Toxopneustes pileolus (Lamarck, 1816) | * | * | * |
Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus, 1758) | * | * | * |
Family: Echinometeridae | |||
Echinometra mathaei (de Blainville, 1825) | * | * | |
Family: Clypeasteridae | |||
Clypeaster humilis (Leske, 1788) | * | * | * |
Clypeaster rarispinus de Meijere, 1903 | * | ||
Clypeaster reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) | – | * | |
Family: Laganidae | |||
Laganum depressum Lesson 1841 | * | * | |
Laganum laganum (Leske, 1778) | * | ||
Peronella orbicularis (Leske, 1778) | * | ||
Family: Fibulariidae | |||
Fibularia volva L. Agassiz and Desor, 1846 | * | ||
Family: Astriclypeidae | |||
Echinodiscus auritus Leske, 1778 | * | * | * |
Echinodiscus bisperforatus Laske, 1778 | * | * | * |
Family: Echinolampadidae | |||
Echinolampas alexandri de Loriol, 1876 | * | * | |
Echinolampas ovata (Leske, 1778) | * | * | * |
Family: Loveniidae | |||
Lovenia elongata (Gray, 1845) | * | * | * |
Family: Brissidae | |||
Brissus latecarinatus (Leske, 1778) | * | ||
Metalia latissima H. L. Clark, 1925 | * | ||
Metalia sternalis (Lamarck, 1816) | * | * | |
Rhynobrissus pyramiadalis A. Agassiz, 1872 | * | ||
Class: Holothuroidea | |||
Family: Holothuriidae | |||
Actinopyga mauritiana (Quoy and Gaimard 1834) | * | ||
Actinopyga miliaris (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833) | * | ||
Bohadschia marmorata Jager, 1833 | * | * | |
Holothuria (Halodeima) atra Jager, 1833 | * | * | |
Holothuria (Halodeima) edulis Lesson, 1830 | * | * | |
Holothuria (Lessonothuria) pardalis Selenka, 1867 | * | ||
Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) leucospilota (Brandt, 1835) | * | * | |
Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra Jager, 1833 | * | * | |
Holothuria (Selenkothuria) moebii Ludwig, 1883 | * | ||
Holothuria (Semperothuria) cinerascens (Brandt, 1835) | |||
Holothuria (Theelothuria) spinifera Theel, 1886 | * | * | * |
Holothuria (Thymiosycia) hilla Lesson, 1830 | * | * | |
Holothuria (Thymiosycia) arenicola Semper, 1868 | * | * | |
Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens (Forsskal, 1775) | * | ||
Family: Stichopodidae | |||
Stichopus chloronotus (Brandt, 1835) | * | * | * |
Stichopus variegatus Semper, 1868 | * | * | |
Stichopus herrmanni Semper, 1868 | * | ||
Family: Psolidae | |||
Psolus mannarensis James, 1987 | * | * | |
Family: Cucumariidae | |||
Havelockia versicolor (Semper, 1868) | * | * | |
Hemithyone semperi (Bell, 1884) | * | * | |
Pentacta quadrangularis (Lesson and Troschel, 1846) | * | * | * |
Pseudocolochirus violaceus (Theel, 1882) | * | * | |
Stolus buccalis (Simpson, 1885) | * | * | |
Stolus conjugens (Semper, 1868) | * | ||
Family: Phyllophoridae | |||
Actinocucumis typicus Ludwig, 1875 | * | * | |
Phyllophorus (Phyllophorella) parvipedes (H. L. Clark, 1938) | * | * | |
Family: Caudinidae | |||
Acaudina molpadioides (Semper, 1868) | * | * | * |
Family: Synaptidae | |||
Protankyra asymmetrica (Ludwig, 1875) | * | ||
Synapta maculata (Chamisso and Eysenhard, 1821) | * | ||
Synaptula recta (Semper, 1868) | * | ||
Synaptula striata (Sluiter, 1868) | * | ||
Family: Chiridotidae | |||
Polycheira rufescens (Brandt, 1835) | * | ||
Total | 93 | 103 | 48 |
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Venkatraman, C. et al. (2013). Diversity and Distribution of Echinoderms in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, Southern India. In: Venkataraman, K., Sivaperuman, C., Raghunathan, C. (eds) Ecology and Conservation of Tropical Marine Faunal Communities. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38200-0_13
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