Re-appearance of Hydropuntia Eucheumatoides With Details on the Epifaunal Assemblages From the Coastal Waters of South Andaman

Abstract The present study was conducted at Corbyn’s Cove in November 2022 during low tide. The seaweed sample was collected & identified as Hydropuntia eucheumatoides. Morphometric measurements such as total length (72.9 ± 0.04mm), apex thickness (2.91 ± 0.02mm) and base thickness 2.51 ± 0.01mm were measured. Y-branch length was found to be 21.84mm while Y branch distance (15.02mm) and Y branch thickness was 1.88mm recorded. Wet weight of this seaweed was 17.619 ± 0.02g, dry weight was 2.827 ± 0.01g and the moisture content was found 14.79%. Associated macrofauna (gastropods) with H. eucheumatoides were identified as Euplica scripts, Pardalinops testudinaria, Cerithium echinatum and one Majoidea crab Menaethius sp. Among the meiofauna, Harpacticoida (68 no.) and Nematoda (62 no.) were dominant, followed by Polychaeta (17 no.), Amphipoda (7 no.) and Ostracoda (2no), whereas two other meiofaunal groups viz. Tanaidacea and Kinorhyncha (1 no. each) were found to be the least. Taxonomic studies on this seaweed species are unavailable from this area. This study provides first information on the biomass and morphometry of the macroalgae as well as the meiofauna and macrofauna association with H. eucheumatoides.