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The authors focus on the impact of abundance of puffer fishes on fishing and fishers of Kerala, India. They state that fishers have complained that puffer fishes cut through the nylon nets once they are caught and then they bite at random on other sea fishes which results in the decline of commercial value of fishes. They also state that major predators of puffer fishes include Rachycentron canadum and the genus Arius.

The seagrass meadows of Sethukarai coast are unique in nature, housing high faunal diversity compared to other coastal areas. A rare live specimen of bandtail scorpionfish Scorpaenopsis neglecta was found near a burrow dug by an alpheid shrimp. Taxonomy, morphometric and meristic characters, adaptive, behavioural and colour-switching physiological camouflage trait of the S. neglecta are elaborated in this communication. Visual in situ documentation of feeding habits of scorpaenids and their preying behaviour, especially that of lionfish Pterois volitans preying on goby fish is presented. Mutualism exhibited by goby fish Amblyeleotris gymnocephala with the alpheid shrimp Alpheus rapax and the importance of habitat protection from anthropogenic activities are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mudbanks, a unique coastal oceanographic phenomenon occurring along the southwest (SW) coast of India during the SW monsoon season, are synonymous with the fishery of this region. Here we examine the validity of the popular notion that mudbanks directly support rich fisheries, using a high temporal resolution water column data collected from the Alappuzha mudbank region in Kerala during April to September 2014, in conjunction with fisheries data. Our study reveals that the upwelling which occurs during the SW monsoon season along this coast brings oxygendeficient subsurface water to the upper water column. Escaping the oxygen-depleted waters, the fish aggregate within a thin upper layer allowing easy visual identification and capture of fish shoals. This process occurs throughout the coast and is not confined just to the mudbanks. Mudbank being a calm region, traditional fishermen using non-motorized country craft were able to carry out fishing within this region only during the SW monsoon. With the induction of motorized and mechanized fishing, the link between mudbanks and fisheries is becoming less prominent, although the former still continue to be important fish landing centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the non-indigenous sea slug Tenellia adspersa in the southeast coast of the Arabian Sea, India. Topics discussed includes impact of alteration of nutrient cycling and food webs on invasive species, transport of egg masses of T. adspersa discharged through ballast water, and monitoring of harbors to prevent the invasion of non-indigenous species.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article by K. K. Nair regarding the symbiotic relationship of Scyphozoan jellyfish Lychnorhiza (L.) malayensis with crucifix crab Charybdis (C.) feriatus in the 1951 issue.