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Aneesh, Panakkool Thamban, Helna, Ameri Kottarathil, Kumar, Appukuttannair Biju (2022): Redescription and further report of two buccal attaching fish parasitic cymothoids, Ceratothoa carinata (Bianconi, 1869) and Cymothoa bychowskyi Avdeev, 1979 (Crustacea: Isopoda) with a new record from the southern India Ocean. Journal of Natural History 56 (17-20): 1063-1089, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2022.2099318, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2022.2099318

We present for the first time, data on fish assemblage structure for ten temporarily closed estuaries (TCEs) along the south-western coast of India. Fish community structure differed significantly between TCEs based on species presence/absence, estuarine use and feeding mode. Marine migrant and freshwater stragglers dominated the 'fish guilds', while piscivores and zoobenthivores were the major feeding guilds, in all estuaries. We used the Estuarine Fish Community Index (EFCI) and a Combined Anthropogenic Pressure Index (CPI) to determine the ecological quality of TCEs. The application of functional guilds and EFCI successfully represented the use of TCEs by fish communities, and also the functional similarities existing between fish assemblages of these estuaries, despite considerable taxonomic, physical and chemical differences. EFCI indicated that the ecological health of TCEs in south-western India ranges from 'poor' to 'good'. We also established a significant relationship between CPI, EFCI and ecological quality in various TCEs using the Generalized Linear Model (GLM).

The present study reports an unusual caligid copepod, Anchicaligus nautili (Willey, 1896) infesting the deep-water chambered nautilus Nautilus pompilius Linnaeus, 1758 from the Indian Ocean. Both male and female are redescribed and illustrated based on the materials recovered from the museum collection of the Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, University of Kerala, collected in March, 1985 from the Andaman region of the Indian Ocean as a trawl bycatch. The species is characterised by the presence of a pair of large lenses (conspicillae) in the median eyes, postanal-protrusions and the displacement of the caudal rami. It appears to be the first record of the species from Indian waters.

The jellyfish venom stored in nematocysts contains highly toxic compounds comprising of polypeptides, enzymes and other proteins, which form their chemical defence armoury against predators. We have characterized the proteome of crude venom extract from three bloom-forming scyphozoan jellyfish along the south-west coast of India, Chrysaora caliparea, Cyanea nozakii and Lychnorhiza malayensis using a Quadrupole-Time of Flight (Q/TOF) mass spectrometry analysis. The most abundant toxin identified from Chrysaora caliparea and Lychnorhiza malayensis is similar to the pore-forming toxins and metalloproteinases. A protective antioxidant enzyme called peroxiredoxin was found abundantly in Cyanea nozakii. Metalloproteinase identified from the C. caliparea shows similarity with the venom of pit viper (Bothrops pauloensis), while that of L. malayensis was similar to the venom of snakes such as the Bothrops insularis and Bothrops asper. Kininogen-1 is a secreted protein, identified for the first time from the jellyfish L. malayensis. The proteome analysis of Cyanea nozakii, Chrysaora caliparea and Lychnorhiza malayensis contained 20, 12, 8 unique proteins, respectively. Our study characterized the proteome map of crude venom extract from L. malayensis and C. caliparea for the first time, and the venom profile is compared with published information elsewhere. Proteomic data from this study has been made available in the public domain.

We present results of the first major attempt to record the distribution of aquatic alien species in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot using Geographical Information System. A total of 32 alien species, including four macrophytes (Salvinia molesta, Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes and Cabomba furcata) and 28 fish were recorded from the southern part of the Western Ghats. Seven of these have established natural populations and are invasive, which includes Oreochromis mossambicus, O. niloticus (Cichlidae), Poecilia reticulata, Gambusia affinis (Poeciliidae), Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Loricariidae), Cyprinus carpio (Cyprinidae) and Clarias gariepinus (Clariidae). Oreochromis mossambicus is the most extensively distributed invasive fish in the region. Major reservoirs serve as a spawning hub for species such as C. gariepinus and C. carpio. Significant pathways for the establishment of most alien species in Western Ghats were aquarium trade and aquaculture. Given the increasing records of alien species and proliferation of invasive species in the southern region of the Western Ghats, urgent research and policy interventions are suggested, including the development of a comprehensive database on distribution, trade, invasion biology, as well as determining both short-term and longterm impacts on endemic fauna.

The survey of molluscan fauna of Ashtamudi estuary of the southwest coast of India recorded the presence of 119 species classified under 3 classes (Polyplacophora, Gastropoda and Bivalvia), 57 families and 96 genera. The species diversity was dominated by the Gastropoda (69 species), followed by the Bivalvia (49 species) and the Polyplacophora (1 species). The report includes four species recorded for the first time from India: Desmaulus edgarianus (Melvill, 1898), Pilosabia trigona (Gmelin, 1791), Nassarius javanus (Schepman, 1891) and Jorunna labialis (Eliot, 1908). The true diversity of the mangrove region was as good as that of a community with 31.380 (= 31) equally common species; the respective values for the bar mouth and lake regions were 15.516 and 8.997, respectively, indicating that the molluscan species assemblage of the mangrove was the most diverse and of the lake, the least. True β-diversity across this gradient registered 1.792, which means that though there were three communities, they were equivalent to only 1.792 (= 2) effective communities, i.e., the three actual communities were as different from each other as 2 with equal weights and no species in common.

This study correlated the abundance of five jellyfish species in the south-west coast of India, South-eastern Arabian Sea, Crambionella orsini, Lychnorhiza malayensis, Chrysaora caliparea, Netrosto...

A new species of parasitic copepod of the genus Lernaeenicus Lesueur, 1824 (Siphonostomatoida: Pennellidae) parasitizing the torpedo scad Megalaspis cordyla (Linnaeus) collected from the Arabian Se...

Nephropsis stewarti Wood-Mason, 1872 is the most common species of the deep-sea clawed lobster genus Nephropsis Wood-Mason, 1872 in the Indo-West Pacific. Morphological comparisons and genetic analyses of extensive material referred to this lobster revealed the presence of three species. The three species differ mainly in body size, development of the intermediate carina on the carapace, position of the lateral pair of rostral teeth, whether the pleonal tergum is granulate, and the spination on the large chelipeds. Nephropsis stewarti is restricted to the western central Indian Ocean, and a neotype is selected to fix its identity. The name Nephropsis grandis Zarenkov, 2006 is revived with neotype selection for the large form found in the West Pacific and northwestern Australia. The smaller form from southern Taiwan and the Philippines is described as Nephropsis pygmaeasp. nov.

Brucethoa bharata gen. et sp. nov. is described from the host fish Glossanodon macrocephalus Bineesh and Endo, 2019 (Argentinidae), at depths of 300–600 metres from the south-west coast of India. T...

This study reports the occurrence of box jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora from the brackish water of Kerala, India for the first time. The other reports of this species were from Jamaica, the Philippines, Ecuador, Japan, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Indonesia, Florida, Thailand, Grand Bahama, Seychelles, Comoros, Australia, Hawaii and the Gulf of Mexico. The present study collected four specimens (two each of male and unidentifiable sex) and preserved them in ethanol. The specimens were identified based on their morphological characteristics and the microscopic examination of different types of nematocysts present in their tentacles. Tripedalia cystophora can be easily distinguished from other smaller box jellyfish by the following characteristic features: flattened three pedalia in the four corners of the bell margin, each with single tentacle, numerous nematocysts scattered around the concentric rings in the tentacles, and four prominent frown- shaped rhopalial niches.

Invasive alien species (IAS) influence the trophic organisation and food web structure in an invaded ecosystem, and therefore, it is imperative to quantify the resultant ecological impacts. The globally recognised ecosystem modelling platform, Ecopath with Ecosim, was used to delineate the impacts of IAS on a tropical freshwater pond ecosystem in India. We analysed the trophic interactions, consumption patterns, prey overlap and mixed trophic impacts of three co-existing invasive alien fish species, African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), suckermouth catfish (Pterygoplichthys pardalis) and Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), on other functional groups in the ecosystem. Together, the three IAS shared 11% of the total energy consumption and about 50% of the energy consumption by the fish species/groups. There was no predation mortality for African catfish and suckermouth catfish, and a very low estimate for the same was recorded for tilapia (0.64 year

Invasion of armoured catfish, Pterygoplichthys spp., is a major threat to global aquatic biodiversity, and developing effective strategies for their control and eradication is both a concern and a research priority. A length-based population assessment of invasive Pterygoplichthys pardalis in southern India, a hotspot for endemic aquatic biodiversity, indicated that rapid growth, high growth performance index and continuous recruitment have aided their successful invasion. Increasing fishing pressure on the adults is not adequate for population management, and only targeting young individuals (

Morphological abnormalities were observed for five specimens of Indian ring skate, Orbiraja powelli (Alcock, 1898) collected in the southwest coast of India. These abnormalities included an extra dorsal fin situated almost at the middle of the tail, a pouched skin fold at the tip of ventral snout, absence of caudal fin, presence of a tissue growth on the ventral side of disc and short tail without second dorsal fin and caudal fin. Morphological and molecular methods did not show variations in the specimens collected.

Species of hermit crabs in the genus Clibanarius Dana, 1852 have adapted to various environments in the intertidal areas, including hard substrates and soft sediments. These species often bear a close morphological resemblance to each other, therefore, the colouration on the pereopods can be one of the reliable characteristics to distinguish the species. However, the evolutionary relationships among species with different colour patterns and relationships between colour patterns and habitat adaptation have not previously been investigated. Therefore, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships among 19 species of Clibanarius based on mitochondrial [12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase I] and nuclear [histone H3] DNA markers. The results suggest that the striped and solid colour elements have evolved multiple times independently, with the ancestral colour pattern potentially being scattered, bright colour spots with a bright colour band. Our findings also suggest that evolutionary adaptation from hard substrates to mudflats and soft sediments may have occurred at least twice.

The present paper reports the occurrence of a poorly known rhizostome jellyfish Catostylus perezi from the Veraval coast of Gujarat in India for the first time. Specimen was identified based on their morphology and the structure of nematocysts. This species has been previously reported from the Arabian Peninsula, the Iranian Gulf and the Pakistan coast. The current report shows the extended distribution of this species in the Arabian Sea. The genus Catostylus is reported for the first time from the Indian coast. Nematocysts like, microbasic mastigophore and heterotrichous anisorhiza also reported for the first time in the genus Catostylus.

This paper records two deep water brachyuran species, Naxioides robillardi (Miers, 1882) (Epialtidae) and Lupocyclus tugelae Barnard, 1950 (Portunidae) from India. The spider crab N. robillardi and the swimming crab L. tugelae both have wide distributions, occurring from East Africa to Japan and Australia. The present study records the occurrence of these two species for the first time from India, and discusses their taxonomy and diagnostic characters.

Gut contents of the exotic characid fish Piaractus brachypomus (Cuvier, 1818) that escaped into the Vembanad-Kole Wetland, India, during the floods were examined for their gut food spectrum. The qualitative analysis of gut contents showed that the fish is an omnivore with detritus (27 %) as the most dominant food item followed by, plant matter (25 %), crabs (16 %), molluscs (12 %), fish (11 %) and insects (7 %), respectively. DNA barcoding of the gut contents revealed taxa such as Puntius mahecola (Valenciennes, 1844) (Cyprinid fish), Bellamaya sp. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Viviparidae), Spiralothelphusa sp. (Crustacea, Brachyura, Gecarcinucidae) and Ictinogomphus sp. (Insecta, Odonata, Gomphidae) among diet contents. Ontogenic diet shift was not recorded, and none of the fishes showed empty guts, indicating the higher feeding rate and abundance of food in the habitat. The most predominant food item of P. brachypomus in the Vembanad-Kol wetland system is crabs in terms of percentage occurrence, percentage number, percentage volume, index of preponderance, and index of relative importance. Piaractus brachypomus showed greater variations in diet spectrum from their frugivorous nature in the home range (Amazon basin) to a more generalist heterogeneous feeding nature in the introduced ecosystem. The study found that in a highly biodiverse ecosystem, the introduced alien fish may compete with native fish and feed on native organisms. The paper suggests a precautionary approach in flood plain aquaculture, especially with the increase in extreme climatic events and holistic studies on invasion biology to manage invasive species.

The genus Lobothorax Bleeker, 1857 is revised with the description of a new species collected from the gempylidaen fish Promethichthys prometheus (Cuvier, 1832) from the southwestern coast of India. A revised generic diagnosis is provided based on the redescription of the type species. Lobothorax aurita (Schioedte and Meinert, 1883) is here synonymised with Lobothorax typus Bleeker, 1857 based on the original description. Lobothorax nicosmiti Aneesh, Bruce and Kumar sp. nov. is described from the female stage and it is characterized by: pereonite 1 anterolateral expansion not extending to the anterior margin of cephalon; coarsely pitted pereonites dorsal surfaces; pereonites without dorsal median longitudinal ridges; anteriorly truncate cephalon; pleotelson about 0.6 times as long as wide, posterior margin weakly emarginate, broadly sub-truncate, lateral margins convex; maxilliped palp article 3 with three RS; pereopods basis much wider with prominent carina. A key to the species of Lobothorax Bleeker, 1857 is presented.

The genus Elthusa Schioedte & Meinert, 1884 from Indian waters is reviewed and three new species are described from India. A revised generic diagnosis is provided based on the type species and 13 species of Elthusa are regarded as Elthusa incertae sedis. Female stages of Elthusa fistularia sp. nov. collected from Fistularia petimba Lacepede,1803 and Elthusa pseudorhombus sp. nov. from Pseudorhombus dupliciocellatus Regan, 1905 are described based on the female. Elthusa uranoscopus sp. nov. from Uranoscopus guttatus Cuvier, 1829 described from female and male. The female and male stages of Elthusa samariscii (Shiino, 1951) are redescribed and the transitional and larval (premanca and manca) stages are described. All the species were collected from the southwest coast of India. Elthusa fistularia sp. nov. is distinguished by cephalon 1.20 times wider than long; pleotelson broadly rounded, 1.70 times as wide as long, lateral margin convex; widest pleon 0.80 width of widest pereon; uropod rami subequal; and antenna 9-segmented, antennular bases moderately wide set. Elthusa pseudorhombus sp. nov. is characterized by cephalon 1.70 times wider than long; widest pleon 0.75 width of widest pereon; pleotelson 1.50 times as wide as long, evenly rounded; antenna with 10 articles, antennal bases widely separated; and uropod endopod shorter than exopod. Elthusa uranoscopus sp. nov. can be identified by cephalon 1.60 times wider than long, moderately immersed in the pereonite 1; widest pleon 0.84 width of widest pereon; pleotelson 1.80 times as wide as long posterior margin rounded, lateral margins convex; antenna 11 articled, slightly longer than antennula, greatly wider antennal bases; and uropod rami, endopod longer than exopod.

We redescribe the triacanthodid spikefish Mephisto fraserbrunneri Tyler 1966 based upon eight specimens (five newly reported herein) and the first color photographs of freshly collected specimens; these data are compared with that of the single specimen of the recently described M. albomaculosus Matsuura, Psomadakis, and Mya Than Tun 2018. Both species are found in the Indian Ocean, with M. fraserbrunneri known from the Arabian Sea off the east coast of Africa to the eastern Bay of Bengal, and M. albomaculosus confirmed only from the type locality in the Andaman Sea (a color photograph of an individual M. cf. albomaculosus from the Bay of Bengal that was not retained is also presented). We describe and diagnose the genus Mephisto and provide a key to the two species based upon all available specimens. We also provide a distribution map for both species and summarize literature records. Using micro-CT data, we show that Mephisto fraserbrunneri replaces teeth intraosseously, which suggests this tooth replacement pattern is plesiomorphic for Tetraodontiformes.

Squat lobster specimens belonging to the family Munididae were recently collected along the southwestern coast of the mainland of India and in the Andaman Islands. The specimens belong to two known species, Agononida prolixa (Alcock, 1894) and Munida compacta Macpherson, 1997, and a new species, Paramunida bineeshisp. nov. We here redescribe A. prolixa and describe and figure the new species. Munida compacta is newly recorded from India, and we figure the live coloration. In addition, molecular and phylogenetic analyses of two mitochondrial markers (16S rRNA and COI) revealed the phylogenetic relationships of M. compacta and P. bineeshisp. nov. with their most closely related congeners. The genetic similarity among the individuals of M. compacta from different locations is also addressed.

An annotated checklist of the mantis shrimps (Stomatopoda) occurring in India is compiled from published literature and specimens collected from coastal areas of Gujarat state. A total of 72 species, 35 genera, 10 families and 5 superfamilies reported from Indian waters are listed. Four species were recorded for the first time from Gujarat while one species, Erugosquilla hesperia (Manning, 1968), is confirmed for the first time from India. The maximum number of species was reported from Tamil Nadu (48 species), while fewest species were reported from Karnataka (2 species). The results also suggest that the east coast is more diverse (66 species) than the west coast of India (32 species).

Two species of the mud shrimp genus Upogebia Leach, 1814 (Gebiidea: Upogebiidae) are recorded from India for the first time based on material from Tamil Nadu: U. hexaceras (Ortmann, 1894) and U. nithyanandan (Sakai, Türkay & Al Aidaroos, 2015). Both were found in burrows in an unidentified sponge. Upogebia nithyanandan is resurrected as a valid species from the synonymy of U. balmaorum Ngoc-Ho, 1990, recently proposed by Dworschak & Poore (2018). The two species are fully described and illustrated on the basis of the newly collected specimens, and diagnostic characters for species recognition are discussed.

In this paper current knowledge on the diversity of the gastropod cephalaspidean genus Haminoea from India is revised. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken and novel specimens were coll...

This paper describes two new species of parasitic copepods of the family Chondracanthidae H. Milne Edwards, 1840. Acanthochondria krishnai sp. n. is described from Dollfus' stargrazer, Uranoscopus guttatus Cuvier, collected from Muttom and Colachel, Tamil Nadu, and Chondracanthus kabatai sp. n. from Silvery john dory, Zenopsis conchifer Lowe, collected from Neendakara, Quilon, Kerala, both along the southwest coast of India. Both the species are described and illustrated based on the fresh female and male specimens collected from India. Both the species are the first Indian representative of the respective genera. The checklist of Indian species of the family Chondracanthidae is also presented.

A neotype is designated for Joryma brachysoma (Pillai, 1964). The general morphology and appendages of the female and male stages are illustrated and re-described based on the neotype and several additional fresh specimens collected from the type host Pellona brachysoma Bleeker (=Sardinella brachysoma Bleeker) from nearby the type locality. The present redescription and neotype designation further resolves the taxonomic ambiguity regarding the species identification and conserves the name of J. brachysoma.

Bycatch of trawl fishery is a global concern and batoid fishes, including skates, rays and guitar fishes, are caught frequently as non-targeted species in commercial trawl fishery of India. While the commercial batoid species are documented separately in fishery data, a large number of non-commercial species do not form part of fishery data, even though many such species are listed as ‘Data Deficient’ in IUCN red list. A survey was conducted from July 2018 to June 2019 in the major harbours and landing centresof the south coasts of India to monitor the non-commercial batoid species in the trawl bycatch. Massive landings of non-commercial batoid species such as Torpedo sinuspersici, Narcine cf maculata, Orbiraja powelli Acroteriobatus variegatus and the occasional occurrence of Dipturus johannisdavisi, Benthobatis moresbyi, Narcine timlei and Plesiobatis daviesi have been recorded, besides the juveniles, sub-adults and few adults of commercial species Rhinobatos annandalei, Brevitrygon imbricata and Neotrygon indica from south India. The non-commercial batoids mainly inhabit continental shelf and slope regions of Indian coast where fishing pressure and efforts are high. When these k-selected species live in fishing zones with intense fishing pressure, data deficient species of batoids should be considered as threatened, and this paper discuss challenges in the sector, and forwards strategies for conserving non-targeted batoids.

The identity of the pea crab, Arcotheres borradailei (Nobili, 1906) is clarified. The holotype female is re-diagnosed, figured and its recent generic assignment to Arcotheres Manning, 1993, is discussed. A second poorly known species from India and Sri Lanka that resembles A. borradailei, Pinnotheres ridgewayi Southwell, 1911, is redescribed and assigned to Arcotheres. In addition, Pinnotheres sinensis atrinae Sakai, 1939, and Pinnotheres cyclinus Shen, 1932, from East Asia are re-examined and also referred to Arcotheres.

The aeolid Anteaeolidiella fijensis Carmona, Bhave, Salunkhe, Pola, Gosliner and Cervera, 2014 is reported for the first time from India. Differences in the external colouration compared with the original description hampered its identification, and therefore, a molecular approach was needed. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analyses of partial DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA genes, and the nuclear gene histone-3 were used to infer phylogenetic trees. ABGD species delimitation analyses and morphological study complemented this contribution. This is the first record of Anteaeolidiella fijensis outside the type locality and extends its distribution range remarkably. Here, we also complete the original description with new data regarding the external colouration and internal anatomy. Finally, the instraspecific variation may be related with an ontogenetic process or be a populationally distinctive feature.

This study reports on the ingestion of microplastics by the alien fish Pirapitinga, Piaractus brachypomus (Characiformes; Serrasalmidae) that escaped Vembanad lake, the largest brackish water lake in the south-west coast of India, from the aquaculture systems during flooding. Microplastics separated from the gut of 32 out of the 123 fishes (26%) examined were identified using Attenuated Total Reflectance – Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR), and Raman Spectroscopy. In total, 69 microplastic particles, represented by fibers, foam and fragments were recovered from the fish, with sizes ranging from 0.89 to 4.85 mm. The ATR-FTIR spectral analyses revealed the presence of polymers polyethylene and Nylon 6. The occurrence of PP, Nylon 6, PET and PBT were confirmed using Raman spectroscopy. The presence of MPs in the gut content of alien fish P. brachypomus could be a reflection of the increasing microplastics pollution in the estuaries and backwaters along the south-west coast of India.

A little known littoral hermit crab, Clibanarius clibanarius (Herbst, 1791), is redescribed on the basis of material from southern India, supplemented by the photographs of the type material. The species appears closest to C. infraspinatus Hilgendorf, 1869, but the absence of a prominent ventral spine or protuberance on the cheliped meri immediately distinguishes C. clibanarius from C. infraspinatus. Although the species has been reported from wide areas in the Indo-West Pacific, records outside of India still needs to be verified.

A new species of the hermit crab genus Diogenes Dana, 1851, D. spongicola, is described and illustrated on the basis of material collected from two locations off southern India. It appears close to D. takedai Rahayu, 2012 among about 70 congeners, but easily differentiated from the latter by the spinulose anterolateral margins of the shield, the article 2 of the antennal peduncle armed only with one distal spine, the longer, spinose antennal acicle, the absence of prominent spines on the ventrolateral margin of the cheliped meri, and the different color of the cheliped palm. Specimens of the new species were all collected from cavities of a callyspongiid sponge Callyspongia diffusa (Ridley, 1884), suggesting a possible association between the hermit crab and sponge.

The Stomatopoda of India is comparatively well studied, with 79 species recorded to date. We herein report on a series of stomatopods collected by commercial fishing trawlers from localities on the southwest and southeastern coasts of India. The present series includes 17 species of stomatopods collected as trawl bycatch; seven are the first Indian records: Lysiosquillina lisa Ahyong & Randall, 2001, Odontodactylus cultrifer (White, 1951), O. japonicus (De Haan, 1844), Faughnia formosae Manning & Chan, 1997, Busquilla plantei Manning, 1978, Carinosquilla spinosa Ahyong & Naiyanetr, 2002, and Quollastria kapala Ahyong, 2001. Faughnia formosae is the first member of the superfamily Parasquilloidea to be recorded from India. We also show that Acanthosquilla dighaensis Ghosh, 1998, is a junior synonym of Bigelowina phalangium (Fabricius, 1798), described from Bombay but widespread in Indian waters.

A new species of gecarcinucid freshwater crab of the genus Oziotelphusa Müller, 1887, is described from stationary or slow-flowing bodies of water in Keeriparai near Nagercoil, in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. Oziotelphusa ravi, new species, is distinguished from its congeners by several distinct characters: the median tooth of the posterior margin of epistome forms a distinct bilobed tip in frontal view, the male pleonal somite 6 is narrowly trapezoidal and slightly wider than long with the lateral margins concave, the terminal segment of the male first gonopod is distinctly bent laterally (along the longitudinal axis) at an angle of about 45°, and the proximal part of the outer margin of the subterminal segment of the male first gonopod has a prominent deep concavity.

The availability of abundant fresh material of Aristeus alcocki Ramadan, 1938 from India allowed the evaluation of the variation in the numbers of photophores on the pereiopods in this species, as well as other diagnostic characters for species discrimination. Although the pereiopodal photophore counts in A. alcocki largely overlap with those of A. semidentatus Bate, 1888, it is found that A. alcocki is unique in the Indo-West Pacific species of the genus by the lower end of the cervical carina considerably farther away from the branchiostegal carina. Molecular genetic analysis confirmed the distinct taxonomic status of the six currently known species in this genus from the Indo-West Pacific and a revised key is provided for distinguishing them.

A new species of the hermit crab genus Diogenes Dana, 1851 (Diogenidae), D. canaliculatus, is described and illustrated on the basis of material from off the Kerala State, southern India. It is referred to the D. edwardsii (De Haan, 1849) species group, and compared with D. bicristimanus Alcock, 1905, D. fasciatus Rahayu & Forest, 1995, D. laevicarpus Rahayu, 1996 and D. moosai Rahayu & Forest, 1995. The characteristically sculptured left chela and the unarmed dorsal margins of the propodi of the second and third pereopods distinguish the new species from these congeners.

A new species of Carcinoplax H. Milne Edwards, 1852 (family Goneplacidae) is described from southern India. Carcinoplax fasciata n. sp. is closest to C. specularis Rathbun, 1914, but can be distinguished by its different coloration in life as well as structures of the carapace surface, anterolateral armature, supraorbital margin, chela and male first gonopod.

The taxonomy of the deep-water homolid crabs Moloha grandperrini Guinot & Richer de Forges, 1995 and M. alisae Guinot & Richer de Forges, 1995 is re-examined, and the types redescribed and figured. Moloha alisae is reported from South Africa for the first time. A new species with an inflated carapace, M. tumida sp. nov., is also described from southern India and compared with its closest congeners.

Octopuses of the genus Cistopus Gray, 1849 are commercially valuable catches in the cephalopod fisheries of India. The primary and unique diagnostic character of this genus is the possession of eight small mucous pouches embedded in the oral faces of the webs between the bases of each arm. Historically only a single species of Cistopus, C. indicus, had been reported from Indian waters. In reviewing the octopod fauna off the Kerala coast, we have detected three species of Cistopus, of which one is described here as a new species. Cistopus platinoidus sp. nov. is distinct from Cistopus species described to date (C. indicus, C. taiwanicus and C. chinensis) on the basis of sucker counts, the number and position of enlarged suckers in males, and presence/absence of a calamus. Our studies of catch composition of Kerala octopod fisheries indicate a higher diversity of target species than previously suspected, including a number of undescribed species. Taxonomic resolution and collation of biological and distributional data are required for effective monitoring and management of these valuable fisheries.

A new species of pinnotherid crab of the genus Afropinnotheres Manning, 1993, is described from the brown mussel, Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758), in southwestern India. This is the first record of the genus from the western Indian Ocean, the other four species been recorded from the eastern Atlantic. The new species can be distinguished from all congeners in possessing a more rounded male carapace, form of the chela, relatively longer ambulatory legs which have no natatory setae, presence of dense pubescence on the male ambulatory legs, and the shape of the male and female telsons. The Indian Pinnotheridae is also reviewed and the taxonomy of the species reappraised. The taxonomy of Pinnaxodes Heller, 1865, and Holothuriophilus Nauck, 1880, is also discussed, in the context of their similarity to Afropinnotheres.

A new species of the hermit crab genus Paguristes Dana, 1851 (Diogenidae), P. luculentus, is described and illustrated on the basis of three male specimens collected from off the Kerala State, southwestern India. It belongs to the species group characterized by the posterior lobes of the telson unarmed on the terminal margins, but the characteristic armature of the chelae and carpi of the chelipeds, consisting of a covering of numerous small corneous-tipped spines, and the presence of numerous small corneous-tipped or corneous spines on the mesial faces of the dactyli of the second pereopods immediately distinguish the new species from other congeneric species. The new species represents the ninth of the genus known from Indian waters.

In this study, barcoding of 13 clownfish species of the Indian Ocean was carried out to infer the phylogenetic relationships among them by analyzing cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) and cytochrome

A new species of gecarcinucid freshwater crab of the genus Oziotelphusa Müller, 1887, is described from stationary or slow-flowing bodies of water in Keeriparai near Nagercoil, in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. Oziotelphusa ravi, new species, is distinguished from its congeners by several distinct characters: the median tooth of the posterior margin of epistome forms a distinct bilobed tip in frontal view, the male pleonal somite 6 is narrowly trapezoidal and slightly wider than long with the lateral margins concave, the terminal segment of the male first gonopod is distinctly bent laterally (along the longitudinal axis) at an angle of about 45°, and the proximal part of the outer margin of the subterminal segment of the male first gonopod has a prominent deep concavity.

A new species of slipper lobster of the genus Petrarctus Holthuis, 2002 was discovered from southwestern India during a survey of deep sea crustaceans. The new species closely resembles P. veliger Holthuis, 2002 from the Andaman Sea and western Pacific but differs mainly in the color marking on abdominal somite I, having a relatively lower cardiac tooth but with better developed tubercles on the abdomen, as well as a differently shaped anterior part of the thoracic sternum. Molecular genetic analysis also confirms the distinct taxonomic status of the new species. To fix the identity of the type species of the genus, a neotype of P. rugosus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) was selected from a recently collected Indian specimen with color and genetic information.

A new species of rhizopine crab of the genus Typhlocarcinus Stimpson, 1858 (family Pilumnidae), is described from southwestern India. Typhlocarcinus kerala sp. nov. is characterised by its granular carapace with the dorsal regions well demarcated and the gastro-cardiac grooves deep, the anterolateral margin entire and prominently granulated, the posterolateral margin lacks a low granulated lobe, proportions of the ambulatory legs and shape of the female telson.