A new record of two penaeid species from Goa coast

Adults of Penaeus japonicus (Bate) and juveniles of P. canaliculatus (Olivier) were recorded for the first time from the coastal and estuarine regions of Goa respectively. Their presence in Goa waters suggests that both the species have a wide distribution along the west coast of India. The available data from the neighboring states suggest that both the species are distributed in deeper waters and are caught during or immediately after the southwest monsoon. Hence, it may be possible to tap these valuable resources from Goa waters if the fishing operation is extended to depths beyond those presently fished and fishing is carried out during the SW monsoon season

IndOBIS, an Ocean Biogeographic Information System for assessment and conservation of Indian Ocean biodiversity

Compilation of inventories of components of coastal and marine biodiversity of Indian Ocean is hampered by several factors: low effort by some countries, preference to certain taxon, dwindling taxonomic expertise, low infrastructure of Information Technology, databases that are scattered and often non-interoperable, inconsistent reporting and a marked reluctance to share data and information. The creation of the Indian Ocean node of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System is meant to overcome some of these constraints. Benefiting from progress in Information Technology and building on the global efforts on understanding what lives in our seas, the IndOBIS aims to grow into a self-sustaining and collectively supported process of information collation, analysis and dissemination, serving the countries of the region and the international scientific community

Planktonic food web structure at SSTF and PF in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean during austral summer 2011

This study aims to describe the planktonic food web structure with respect to phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a ) and prevailing environmental conditions at the South Subtropical Front (SSTF) and the Polar Front (PF) in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. Sampling was carried out at each front for 72 hrs, at 6-hr intervals, during the austral summer 2011. Considerable variations were observed in the hydrography between these two fronts. A strong temperature minimum layer was observed at the PF. Although the surface primary production and chlorophyll a values showed similar trends at both the fronts, the water column values of these parameters showed major disparities. The phytoplankton composition also revealed marked difference between the fronts. A deep chlorophyll maximum concordant with the upper limit of the temperature minimum layer was prominent at the PF. The microzooplankton abundance at the SSTF was twice as high as at the PF. The mesozooplankton biovolume and population density also showed considerable variations between these fronts. Noticeable diel variations were observed in the surface mesozooplankton biovolumes at both the fronts and the copepod Pleuromamma gracilis showed active diel vertical migration at SSTF. Both the grazing and senescence indices showed significant variations between these fronts, suggesting a disparity in the ecological efficiency of the two regions. The variability observed in the plankton community structure with respect to the hydrography and the biological components measured suggests that a multivorous food web at the SSTF and a conventional food web at the PF prevailed during the period of study

Planktonic food web structure at SSTF and PF in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean during austral summer 2011

This study aims to describe the planktonic food web structure with respect to phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll a) and prevailing environmental conditions at the South Subtropical Front (SSTF) and the Polar Front (PF) in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. Sampling was carried out at each front for 72 hrs, at 6-hr intervals, during the austral summer 2011. Considerable variations were observed in the hydrography between these two fronts. A strong temperature minimum layer was observed at the PF. Although the surface primary production and chlorophyll a values showed similar trends at both the fronts, the water column values of these parameters showed major disparities. The phytoplankton composition also revealed marked difference between the fronts. A deep chlorophyll maximum concordant with the upper limit of the temperature minimum layer was prominent at the PF. The microzooplankton abundance at the SSTF was twice as high as at the PF. The mesozooplankton biovolume and population density also showed considerable variations between these fronts. Noticeable diel variations were observed in the surface mesozooplankton biovolumes at both the fronts and the copepod Pleuromamma gracilis showed active diel vertical migration at SSTF. Both the grazing and senescence indices showed significant variations between these fronts, suggesting a disparity in the ecological efficiency of the two regions. The variability observed in the plankton community structure with respect to the hydrography and the biological components measured suggests that a multivorous food web at the SSTF and a conventional food web at the PF prevailed during the period of study