Littoral meiofauna of Bhitarkanika mangroves of river Mahanadi system, east coast of India

221-224Meiofaunal investigations of Bhitarkanika mangrove sediments revealed the presence of 11 major faunal taxa, of which nematodes were the dominant. Higher densities (no.1 m(-2)) of meiofauna were observed in low water mark (143.68 cm(-2)) and mid water mark (119.2 cm(-2)) at 0-5 cm depth. A positive correlation between meiofaunal densisties and median sorted sediments with high organic matter was observed. Harpacticoid copepod density (28.74 cm(-2)) was found to be 2 times higher than that reported for salt marsh. However, nematodes (108.78 cm(-2)) showed lower densities than those reported for other estuarine habitats

Effect of the subterranean termite used in the South Indian folk medicine

376-379The present investigation reports the effect of the termite, Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki, most commonly used by the South Indian tribes as food for enhancing lactation in women, on growth and reproduction in Swiss albino mice, Mus musculus Linn. Dietary supplementation with termite to Swiss albino mice significantly increased the percentage growth rate and number of litters delivered, when compared to the control groups fed with normal rodent pellets. The percentage growth rate of experimental male and female mice fed on Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki showed a significant increase (P<0.01), when compared to the respective control groups. Results on litter production revealed a 22% increase in the experimental groups supplemented with termite, when compared to the control groups. The present results suggest that termite can be used as a viable protein rich feed. Studies on termite culture on a commercial scale and its use, as an alternative protein rich feed for poultry would probably go a long way

Antibacterial activity of subterranean termites used in South Indian folk medicine

559-562The investigation reports antimicrobial activity of the termite species most commonly used by the South Indian tribes for treating diseases likely to be associated with microorganisms. The antibacterial activities of 90% alcohol extracts of three species of subterranean termites, viz: Microtermes obes Holmgren, Macrotermes estherae (Desneux), and Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki, their mounds and nearby soil extracts collected from three different sites of South India were assayed against various bacterial strains. The antibacterial activity was most apparent in Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki, and its mound extracts, which inhibited all the bacterial strains studied. The highest antibacterial activity was encountered in Odontotermes formosanus (12.6 ±0.5 mm) and its mound extracts (14.3 ± 1.1 mm) against E. coli BL21. The MIC values also varied with the extracts and test organisms used and ranged from 10 µg/disc to 50 µg/disc. No activity was observed in the negative control as well as soil extracts collected from near by the termite mounds. Since, the traditional knowledge of indigenous people throughout the world has played an important role in identifying natural resources worthy of commercial exploitation and the search for new pharmaceuticals from naturally occurring biological material has been guided by ethnobiological data, the results are of significance to modern medicine

Meiofauna of the outer channel of Chilka lagoon, Bay of Bengal

302-306A study of the meiofauna of the outer channel of Chilka lagoon revealed the presence of 12 major taxa, of which nematodes and copepods were the dominant. The average total meiofaunal densities were significantly correlated with the sediment temperature at st. 3 (r = 0.9972), Eh at st.2 (r = 0.9816) and salinity at st. 1 (r = 0.9914). No significant correlation was found between total meiofaunal densities and the mean grain size and the percentage organic matter present in the sediments. Higher densities of average total meiofauna (138.09 +/- 35.71 no/cm(2)) were observed at st. 2 than at st, 1 (88.85 +/- 24.60 no/cm(2)) and st. 3 (72.31 +/- 31.39 no/cm(2)). Average total meiofaunal densities were high in general at the low and mid water marks. Exceptionally, at st. 3 high average total meiofaunal densities were found at high water mark. Maximum meiofaunal densities and diversities of the taxa were confined to 0-5 cm depth. The observed higher densities of average total meiofauna in the outer channel stations (sts 1 and 2) than in the adjacent marine sands (st, 3) signify the biological advantages of brackish water environs over the adjacent marine environs

Antigenotoxic activity of the subterranean termite on Swiss albino mice

406-411The paper reports the antigenotoxic potential of the termite (Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki) supplemented food on acephate and endosulfan induced toxicity in the Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus). Dietary supplementation with termite to male and female mice Mus musculus treated with acephate and endosulfan significantly decreased the percentage of chromosomal aberration and micronuclei in the bone marrow cells than in pesticide treated F0 and F1 generations (P < 0.01). The chromosomal aberrations induced by acephate and endosulfan included minute, gap, inversion, ring, pulverization and tetraploids. The experimental groups treated with acephate/endosulfan and supplemented with termite food did not show critical genotoxic aberration markers like pulverization and ploidy suggesting a strong antigenotoxic effect of the termite components

Antifouling activities of marine sedentary invertebrates .on some macrofoulers

280-284Antifouling activities of alcohol extracts from four gorgonian species (Melitodes sp., Gorgonella sanguinolenta, Echinogorgia complexa, Acanthogorgia turgida), five soft corals [Dendronephthya sp. 1, Dendronephthya sp. 2, Dendronephthya (Roxasia) sp., Dendronephthya (Morchellana) sp., Dendronephthya (Spongodes) sp], three unidentified antipatharian species (coded as antipatharian sp. 1, antipatharian sp.2, antipatharian sp.3) and five sponges [Plakortis simplex, Axinella sp., Fasciospongia cavernosa, Azorica pfeifferae , Dercitopsis sp.] against cyprids of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite and green mussel Perna viridis are reported here. All the extracts examined inhibited the settlement of cyprids of B.amphitrite. The EC50 values of the extracts ranged from 16 ± 3 μg/ml (antipatharian sp.2) to 150 ± 8 μg/ml (antipatharian sp. 3). The LC50 values of the extracts varied from 38 ± 3.8 μg/ml [Dendronephthya (Roxasia) sp.] to 218 ± 30.6 μg/ml(Fasciospongia cavernosa). A comparison of the EC50 and LC50 values reveal that most of the extracts are non toxic to the cyprids of B. amphitrite . In the case of P. viridis only 7 out of 17 extracts (41%) inhibited byssal production and attachment. Gorgonian coral extracts displayed highest incidence of attachment inhibitory activity (75%) followed by soft corals (40%), antipatharians (33%) and sponges (20%), when tested against P. viridis. The EC50 values of the extracts ranged from 164 ± 12μg/ml (A. pfeifferae) to 898 ± 11μg/ml [Dendronephthya (Morchellana) sp.]. Toxicity revival studies indicate that the transient presence of active extracts did not cause irreversible damage to P. viridis. The results indicate the possible potentialities of these extracts as natural non toxic antifouling agents.</span

Effect of alcohol extracts of demospongiae on growth of periphytic diatoms

274-279<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-IN">Antifouling potentialities of alcohol extracts of demospongiae, collected of east coast of India, against four dominant marine fouling diatoms are reported. Of the 20 combinations worked out (5 sponges × 4 diatoms) 16 interactions showed activity accounting to about 80%. Plakortis simplex, Azorica pfeifferae and Decitopsis sp. showed 100% growth inhibition against all the 4 fouling diatoms (Navicula sbinflata, Navicula crucicula, Nitzschia sp., Amphora sp.) tested, imp lying the presence of potent antifouling compounds whilst, other extracts showed species specificity in their action. However, the same cells exhibited normal growth , when transferred to extract free media, pointing towards non toxic way of action . The EC50 values varied with extracts and test organisms used and ranged from 14 mg/ml (A. pfeifferae vs N. Crucicula) to <span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:hiddenhorzocr;color:black;mso-ansi-language:="" en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:hi"="" lang="EN-IN">583 μg/ml (Dercitopsis sp. vs Amphora sp.). The active extracts totally arrested the silicate uptake on diatoms, treated with EC100 values, in relation to control. The degree of silicate uptake impairment varied with extracts and test organisms used. The results imply the possible potentialities of these extracts in controlling the microfoulers.</span

<b style="">Traditional therapeutic uses of animals among tribal</b> <b style="">population of Tamil Nadu</b>

198-205 Studies on the therapeutic use of animals and animal parts have been neglected compared to plants. This paper presents the findings of an ethno-zoological study carried out among nine tribes spread over four districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Detailed information was obtained on the traditional therapeutic uses of sixteen different animal species, consisting of mammals (6), birds (5), reptiles (2), arthropods (2) and annelid (1), for the treatment of over 17 kinds of diseases or ailments, including asthma, arthritis, epilepsy, paralysis, hydrocele and leprosy. Community research to confirm the medicinal value of these traditional remedies would go a long way leading to the discovery of novel drugs from bugs. </smarttagtype