Page 9 - IJMS-2014v4n32

International Journal of Marine Science 2014, Vol.4, No.34, 1-9
http://ijms.biopublisher.ca
4
were reported under class Gastropoda of phylum
Mollusca, associated with P. mutuki at Veraval.
Maximum species associated with P. mutuki were
reported belonging to family Turbinidae (4 species)
followed by Buccinidae (3 species), Muricidae (2
species) and Neritidae (2 species) while other families
represented one species each. Genera like Turbo,
Nerita and Cantharus contributed two species each
while other genera contributed single species each. Out
of 15 species of gastropods associated with P. mutuki
reported, maximum abundance is reported for Lunella
coronata (Gmelin, 1971) followed by Astrea stellata
(Gmelin, 1971), Cerithium scabridum Philippi, 1848
and Cerithidea cingulata (Gmelin, 1971) (Table 1).
Total 11 species belonging to 8 genera, 6 families and 2
different classes were reported under phylum
Arthopoda associated with P. mutuki at Veraval. Out of
two classes reported, class Maxillopoda was
represented by one family (Balanidae) and one species
Amphibalanus amphitrite (Darwin, 1854). Class
Crustacea was represented by 8 species of brachyuran
crabs and 2 species of anomuran crabs. Maximum
species associated with P. mutuki belonged to families
Portunidae (3 species), Xanthidae (3 species) and
Diogenidae (2 species) while other families contributed
single species each. Genera like Charybdis, Atergatis
and Clibanarious contributed two species each while
other genera contributed single species each. Out of 11
species of Arthropods associated with P. mutuki,
maximum abundance is reported for Amphibalanus
amphitrite followed by Clibanarius zebra (Dana,
1852), Atergatis intergerrimus (Lamarck, 1801),
Charybdis orientalis Dana, 1852 and Pilumnus
vespertilio (Fabricius, 1793) (Table 1).
Figure 2 Taxonomic diversity of the macro faunal associates of
Palythoa mutuki at the different study sites
At Sutrapada total 53 species reported associated with
P. mutuki (Figure 2). Total three species (Nereis sp.
(Figure 1c), Eulalia sp., Sabella sp.) belonging to
three different families (Nereididae, Phyllodocidae,
Sabellidae) of class Polycheta were reported under
phylum Annelida (Table 1). Phylum Porifera and
phylum Echinodermata were represented by single
species like Microceiona sp (family Microcionidae,
class Demospongiae) and Ophioderma brevispina (Say,
1825) (family Ophiodermatidae, class Ophiuroidea).
Total three species belonging to phylum Cindaria,
class Anthozoa were reported associated with P.mutuki
from Sutrapada. Out of three species reported under
phylum Porifera, two species were belonged to family
Poritidae, Genus Porites (Porites lutea Quoy &
Gaimard, 1833, Porites compressa Dana, 1846) while
family Actiniidae contributes single species
Paracondylactis sinensis (Table 1). Total 18 species
belonging to 15 genera, 12 families and 3 classes were
reported under phylum Mollusca, associated with P.
mutuki at Sutarapada. Out of three classes reported
maximum number of families and species belonged to
class Gastropoda (12 families, 16 species) while one
family and one species each belonged to class
Polyplacophora (Family Octopodidae, Species Octopus
vulgaris Cuvier, 1797) and Cephalopoda (Family
Chitonidae, Species Chiton chiton ). In class
Gastopoda associated with P. mutuki, maximum
species were reported belonging to family Turbinidae
(5 species) followed by Buccinidae (2 species) and
Muricidae (2 species) while other families represented
one species each. Genera like Turbo, Astrea and
Cantharus contributed two species each while other
genera contributed single species each. Out of 16
species of gastropods associated with P. mutuki,
maximum abundance is reported for Astrea stellata
followed by Cerithidea cingulata, Cerithium
scabridum and Turbo intercoastalis Menke, 1846
(Figure 1d) at Sutrapada (Table 1). Total 28 species
belonging to 23 genera, 15 families and 2 different
classes were reported under phylum Arthopoda
associated with P. mutuki at Sutrapada. Out of two
classes reported, class Maxillopoda was represented by
one family (Balanidae) and one species Amphibalanus
amphitrite. Class Crustacea was represented by 24
species of brachyuran crabs and 4 species of anomuran
crabs. Maximum brachyuran crab species associated
with P. mutuki belonged to families Portunidae (4