Additional Records of Macrobenthic Fauna in and Around Marine National Park and Sanctuary, Gujarat, India

Geeta Padate, Ankita Viradi

Abstract

Additional Records of Macrobenthic Fauna in and Around Marine National Park and Sanctuary, Gujarat, India Coral reefs serving as shelter and food to many marine organisms’ world over are under the threat of bleaching due to global warming and climate change. Hence documenting the rare fauna from such habitats becomes important. The Gulf of Kachchh with its 42 islands, in western Gujarat, India has been rich in terms of marine diversity. Since, the Southern Gulf of Kachchh has its mouth opening towards the Arabian Sea the place has opportunity of having species that might migrate towards the gulf along with the tidal flow, Arabian Sea currents and the movement of vessels from world over. During our studies at Shivrajpur, Poshitra and Narara coastal reefs we have encountered three species i.e. Botrylloides diegensis, Marivagia stellata, Heteractis malu and three genus i.e. Neozoanthus spp., Ecteinascidia spp., Thysanozoon spp. that are new to the Southern Gulf of Kachchh region and Gujarat coast. We report the same over here.