<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Ascidians are filter-feeding sac-like marine urochordates of great evolutionary, ecological and economic importance. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the most important hot spots of biodiversity in India, while the ascidian diversity of this region is very scanty. Ascidians belonging to 29 species were identified at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the field research carried out from March 2014 to April 2015. Eight species (<italic>Didemnum granulatum, Didemnum molle</italic>, <italic>Didemnum psammatodes</italic>, <italic>Diplosoma listerianum</italic>, <italic>Lissoclinum fragile</italic>, <italic>Lissoclinum levitum</italic>, <italic>Lissoclinum patella</italic>, <italic>Trididemnum Cyclops</italic>) from the Didemnidae family were found and identified. Various diversity indices, such as the Shannon -Wiener index (H’), Margalef’s index (D), Pielou’s index (J’), K-dominance curves, Cluster Analysis and Multidimensional Scaling, were used to analyze the diversity, richness and evenness of species, and to compare the diversity between samples and their resemblance in terms of species composition. The maximum species richness was observed in Campbell Bay (2.424) and the minimum in Haddo Wharf (0.910). This finding shows the rich species diversity of ascidian fauna at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.</p>
</abstract>

Ascidians are filter-feeding sac-like marine urochordates of great evolutionary, ecological and economic importance. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the most important hot spots of biodiversity in India, while the ascidian diversity of this region is very scanty. Ascidians belonging to 29 species were identified at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the field research carried out from March 2014 to April 2015. Eight species (Didemnum granulatum, Didemnum molle, Didemnum psammatodes, Diplosoma listerianum, Lissoclinum fragile, Lissoclinum levitum, Lissoclinum patella, Trididemnum Cyclops) from the Didemnidae family were found and identified. Various diversity indices, such as the Shannon -Wiener index (H’), Margalef’s index (D), Pielou’s index (J’), K-dominance curves, Cluster Analysis and Multidimensional Scaling, were used to analyze the diversity, richness and evenness of species, and to compare the diversity between samples and their resemblance in terms of species composition. The maximum species richness was observed in Campbell Bay (2.424) and the minimum in Haddo Wharf (0.910). This finding shows the rich species diversity of ascidian fauna at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Ascidian diversity (Chordata: Tunicata) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Ascidian diversity (Chordata: Tunicata) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India"}

Ascidians are filter-feeding sac-like marine urochordates of great evolutionary, ecological and economic importance. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the...

Order	Suborder	Family	Genera	Species
Enterogona	Aplousobranchia	Didemnidae	Didemnum	Didemnum granulatum
			Didemnum	Didemnum molle
			Didemnum	Didemnum psammatodes
			Diplosoma	Diplosoma listerianum
			Lissoclinum	Lissoclinum fragile
			Lissoclinum	Lissoclinum levitum
			Lissoclinum	Lissoclinum patella
			Trididemnum	Trididemnum cyclops
		Clavelinidae	Clavelina	Clavelina picta
		Clavelinidae	Clavelina	Clavelina robusta
		Polyclinidae	Aplidium	Aplidium conicum
			Aplidium	Aplidium elegans
			Aplidium	Aplidium fuscum
			Eudistoma	Eudistoma gilboviride
			Eudistoma	Eudistoma viride
	Phlebobranchia	Ascidiidae	Ascidia	Ascidia virginea
			Phallusia	Phallusia arabica
			Phallusia	Phallusia fumigata
			Phallusia	Phallusia ingeria
			Phallusia	Phallusia julinea
		Diazonide	Rhopalaea	Rhopalaea crassa
Pleurogona	Stolidobranchia	Pyuridae	Halocynthia	Halocynthia papillosa
		Pyuridae	Herdmania	Herdmania momus
		Styelidea	Botrylloides	Botrylloides leachi
			Botrylloides	Botrylloides pizoni
			Eusynstyela	Eusynstyela latericius
			Polycarpa	Polycarpa pigmentata
			Styela	Styela gibbsii
			Styela	Styela plicata

Ascidian diversity (Chordata: Tunicata) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Article Category: Original research paper

Pubblicato online: 18 giu 2018

Pagine: 107 - 117

Ricevuto: 30 ago 2017

Accettato: 16 nov 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ohs-2018-0012

© 2018 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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List of species collected from Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the study period