Molecular authentication of green algae Caulerpa (Caulerpales, Chlorophyta) based on ITS and tufA genes from Andaman Islands, India

109-114Indigenous and non-indigenous invasive algal species introduction or prevalence is one of the major concerns to protect the native coastal environment. Globally, several studies have reported the effect of invasive alga Caulerpa on coral reefs. To establish the genetic variation between indigenous and non-indigenous invasive species, attempts have been made to develop molecular identification of Caulerpa algal species available at the Andaman Islands. In this study, 7 visually and morphologically different species belonging to the genus Caulerpa (Chlorophyta) were collected from the intertidal regions of South and Little Andaman Islands, India. The specimens were preliminarily identified based on the morphological characters and genetically mapped using ITS2 and chloroplast tufA gene markers. Six species of the Caulerpa viz. Caulerpa racemosa, C. racemosa var lamourouxii, C. racemosa var macrophysa, C. serrulata, C. fergusonii and C. microphysa were identified using ITS2 gene, and. C. mexicana var pluriseriata was identified using tufA gene. Two varieties, C. mexicana var. pluriseriata and C. racemosa var lamourouxii were found to be invasive to Indian waters. These were earlier reported in Red sea and in Phillipine waters in the pacific ocean. Further studies are needed to elucidate the genetic divergence of the Caulerpa species present in Andaman waters using different molecular markers

GC-MS analysis and antibacterial properties of the selected soft corals from South Andaman, India

No abstrac

Seagrass Ecosystems of Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Status and Future Perspective

Seagrasses are unique marine flowering plants that play an important ecological role by yielding primary production and carbon sequestration to the marine environment. Seagrass ecosystems are rich in organic matter, supporting the growth of bio-medically important epi and endophytic microorganisms and harbor rich marine biodiversity. They are an essential food source for endangered Andaman state animal Dugongs. Seagrasses are very sensitive to water quality changes, and therefore they serve as ecological bio-indicators for environmental changes. The benthic components in and around the seagrass beds support a significant food chain for other Micro and organisms apart from fishery resources. The epiphytic bacterial communities of the leaf blades support the sustenance against the diseases. Recent reports have shown that the loss of seagrass beds in tropical and temperate regions emphasizes the depletion of these resources, and proper management of seagrass is urgent. The decline of seagrass will impact primary production, biodiversity, and adjacent ecosystems, such as reefs. Therefore, restoring the seagrass meadows could be possible with effective implementing management programs, including seagrass meadows in marine protected areas, restoration projects, seagrass transplantation, implementation of legislative rules, monitoring coastal water quality and human activities in the coastal zone. Lacunas on the seagrass ecosystem management in Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands are addressed.</jats:p

Antimicrobial Potential of Epiphytic Bacteria Associated With Seaweeds of Little Andaman, India

Seaweeds of the intertidal regions are a rich source of surface associated bacteria and are potential source of antimicrobial molecules. In the present study, 77 epiphytic isolates from eight different algae collected from Little Andaman were enumerated. On testing for their antimicrobial activities against certain pathogens twelve isolates showed positive and six of them showed significant antimicrobial inhibition zone against Shigella boydii type 1, Shigella flexneri type 2a, Shigella dysenteriae type 5, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli O115, Enteropathogenic E. coli serotype O114, Vibrio cholera; O1 Ogawa, Aeromonas hydrophila, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus. Based on the activity these six isolates (G1C, G2C, G3C, UK, UVAD, and Tor1) were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence and were found to belong to the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Purified antimicrobial compounds obtained from these isolates were identified by GC-MS. Furan derivatives were identified from G2C Pseudomonas stutzeri KJ849834, UVAD Alcanivorax dieselolei KJ849833, UK Vibrio sp. KJ849837, Tor1 Exiguobacterium profundum KJ849838. While 2-Pyrrolidinone, Phenol, 2, 4-bis (1, 1-dimethylethyl) were from G3C Vibrio owensii KJ849836 and (1-Allylcyclopropyl) methanol from the extracts of G1C Bacillus sp. KJ849835. The results of the present study shows that these six potent isolates isolated from the seaweeds are found to be a source of antimicrobial compounds

DNA barcoding of False stone fish <em>Scorpaenopsis diabolus </em>(Cuvier, 1829), a new record for the Andaman Islands and India

2237-2240A specimen of the false stone fish Scorpaenopsis diabolus(Cuvier, 1829)was captured at the Burmanallah coast in the Andaman Islands, India. Identification was done combining traditional taxonomy, based on the observation and measurement of morphology traits, with DNA barcoding in an integrative taxonomy approach. On this basis, S. diabolus constitutes a new record in the faunal diversity of the Andaman Islands and India