Seaweed Res. Uti/n .. 35 (1&2): 22 - 30, 2013 Marine macro algal diversity of Mahe Coast in Kerala M. PALANISAMY, S.K. YADAV AND GV.S. MURTHY Botanical Survey of India, Southern Regional Centre, T.N.A. U. Campus Coimbatore - 641003, Tamil Nadu, India ABSTRACT Marine macro algae were collected during September 2011 to February 2013 from two sites at Mahe coast in the western coast ofIndia. Totally 14 species were recorded, of which 7 species belong to Chlorophyceae, 1 species to Phaeophyceae and 6 species to Rhodophyceae. The genera Enteromorpha. Chaetomorpha. Centroceras and Grateloupia were distributed widely in all seasons predominantly on the carbonic rocks and newly laid stone blocks, whereas Gelidium and Asteronema were less distributed. Introduction Information on the marine macro algae and their taxonomic studies for the Mahe coast is scanty. Many workers studied the marine and brackish water algae from the coastal regions of India (Iyenger, 1927; Umamaheswar Rao and Sriramulu, 1964, 1968; Krishnamurthy, 1967; Untawale and Dhargalkar, 1975; Chauhan and Mairh, 1978; Annon, 1978, 1984; Subbaramaiah et al., 1979; Untawale et al., 1979; Kaliaperumal and Pandian, 1984; Chennubhotla et al., 1988; Krishnamurthy et al., 1990; Kaliaperumal and Chennubhotla, 1997; Chennubhotla, 1992; Panikkar and Ampili, 2001; Rath andAdhikary, 2005; Umamaheswara Rao, 2010, 2011; Chennubhotla et al., 2010, 2011). Survey of seaweed resources in different maritime states viz. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and the islands of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep was carried out from time to time by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Botanical Survey ofIndia, National Institute of Oceanography, different Universities and State Government organizations to assess the standing crop of seaweeds in the Indian waters. Only very few reports are available on the seaweed resources of the Mahe coast. Hence, a detailed study was made on the algae growing along the Mahe coast. Materials and Methods Study Area Mahe, a tiny point in the geographical map of Kerala and also known as the 'Eye brow of Arabian sea' is under the administration of Union Territory of Puducherry. It is about 647 km away from Puducherry. It's geographical area is about 9 sq. km. It is situated on the west coast of the Indian Peninsula between II °42' 4" Nand 75°32' 12" E. This place is surrounded on the
Transcript
Seaweed Res. Uti/n .. 35 (1&2): 22 - 30, 2013
Marine macro algal diversity of Mahe Coast in Kerala
M. PALANISAMY, S.K. YADAV AND GV.S. MURTHY
Botanical Survey of India, Southern Regional Centre, T.N.A. U. CampusCoimbatore - 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
ABSTRACT
Marine macro algae were collected during September 2011 to February 2013 from two sitesat Mahe coast in the western coast ofIndia. Totally 14 species were recorded, of which 7species belong to Chlorophyceae, 1 species to Phaeophyceae and 6 species to Rhodophyceae.The genera Enteromorpha. Chaetomorpha. Centroceras and Grateloupia were distributedwidely in all seasons predominantly on the carbonic rocks and newly laid stone blocks,whereas Gelidium and Asteronema were less distributed.
Introduction
Information on the marine macro
algae and their taxonomic studies for the Mahecoast is scanty. Many workers studied themarine and brackish water algae from thecoastal regions of India (Iyenger, 1927;Umamaheswar Rao and Sriramulu, 1964, 1968;Krishnamurthy, 1967; Untawale andDhargalkar, 1975; Chauhan and Mairh, 1978;Annon, 1978, 1984; Subbaramaiah et al., 1979;
Untawale et al., 1979; Kaliaperumal andPandian, 1984; Chennubhotla et al., 1988;
Krishnamurthy et al., 1990; Kaliaperumal andChennubhotla, 1997; Chennubhotla, 1992;
Panikkar and Ampili, 2001; Rath andAdhikary,2005; Umamaheswara Rao, 2010, 2011;
Chennubhotla et al., 2010, 2011). Survey ofseaweed resources in different maritime states
viz. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka,Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and theislands of Andaman & Nicobar and
Lakshadweep was carried out from time to time
by the Central Marine Fisheries ResearchInstitute, Central Salt & Marine ChemicalsResearch Institute, Botanical Survey ofIndia,National Institute of Oceanography, differentUniversities and State Government
organizations to assess the standing crop ofseaweeds in the Indian waters. Only very fewreports are available on the seaweed resourcesof the Mahe coast. Hence, a detailed studywas made on the algae growing along theMahe coast.
Materials and Methods
Study Area
Mahe, a tiny point in thegeographical map of Kerala and also knownas the 'Eye brow of Arabian sea' is under theadministration of Union Territory ofPuducherry. It is about 647 km away fromPuducherry. It's geographical area is about 9sq. km. It is situated on the west coast of theIndian Peninsula between II °42' 4" Nand
75°32' 12" E. This place is surrounded on the
M Pa/anisamy, s.K. Yadav and G v.s. Murthy
Arabian Sea
c
Fig. 1. Map showing the study areas at Mahe coast
N
+
23
south-west by the Arabian sea, on the northby the river Ponniyar (Moolakaduvu) and onthe other sides by a stretch of calcareous hillsof medium height which are linked to theWestern Ghats by a series of wooded hillocks.
Two coastal sites (Fig. I) i.e. Maheharbour area (Station-I, GPS: II °41 '57.7"N& 75° 1'43.8" E) and Tagore park (Station -II,GPS: 11042'06.6"N & 75° 31 '55.9"E) wereselected for algal collection from September2011 to February 2013 in all the seasons. Allthe collected seaweeds were thoroughly
_ washed and prepared herbariumtm the fieldand they were also preserved in 4% formalin seawater. All the materials were brought to
the laboratory of Botanical Survey of India,Southern Regional Centre, Coimbatore forfurther study. Each specimen was examinedcarefully and hand sections taken wereobserved under the light microscope for theirspecific characters. The identification of algaewas made by referring various literatures(Umamaheswar Rao, 1969, 1970; Kaliaperumalet al., 1989; Desikachary et al., 1990, 1998;Silva et al., 1996; Krishnamurthy, 2000;Krishnamurthy and Baluswamy, 2010). Theherbarium specimens were deposited at theMadras Herbarium (MH), Botanical Survey ofIndia, Southern Regional Centre, Coimbatorefor future use and reference.
Marine macro algal diversity of Mahe Coast in Kerala 24
Results and Discussion
A total number of 14 speciesbelonging to Chlorophyceae (7 species),Phaeophyceae (l species) and Rhodophyceae(6 species) were recorded during the period ofstudy from Mahe coast. The brief taxonomicdescriptions of all the 14 species of algaecollected are given below.
DIVISION: CHLOROPHYTA
CLASS: CHLOROPHYCEAE
ORDER: ULVALES
FAMILY: ULVACEAE
1. Enteromorpha compressa (Linnaeus) Nees
Viva compress a Linnaeus, 1753: 1163 (typelocality: Europe).
Enteromorpha compress a (Linnaeus) Nees,1820: Index [2]; Umamaheswara Rao &Sriramulu, 1970:25; Ruma Pal, 2000: 51-60; Oza& Zaidi, 2001 : 147; Jha et aI., 2009: 8.
Plants yellowish green in colour;thallus tubulose and compressed, 2.5 - 10.5cm long, fronds profusely branched, tubularat base and expanded above with obtuseapices, holdfast minute, spherical.
Specimen examined: Mahe, India. Field no.127241.
2. Enteromorphajlexuasa (Wulfen) J. Agardh
Viva jlexuasa Wulfen, 1803 (type locality:Diuno, near Trieste, Italy).
Enteromorpha jlexuasa (Wulfen) J. Agardh,1883: 126-128; Krishnamurthy&Joshi, 1970:3; Silvaetal., 1996: 731-732; Oza&Zaid~2001:148; Jha et aI., 2009: 9.
Plants yellowish green in colour,thallus tubular and flexuous, up to 25 cm long,basal disc small, round; fronds usually simple,tubular with cylindrical stalks below andexpanding blades above, apex obtuse.
Plants yellow- dark green in colour;thallus leafy and ribbon shaped, upto 40 cmlong and 3 cm wide lobed; blades usuallyirregularly lobed with entire or crenate margins,margins turn whitish when releasing gametesor zoospores.
Specimen examined: Mahe, India. Field no.127244.
ORDER:CLADOPHORALES
FAMILY: CLADOPHORACEAE
5. Chaetomorpha antennina (Bory de SaintVincent) Kuetzing
Conferva antennina Bory de Saint- Vincent,1804a: 381 (type locality: Reunion).
Plants forming lax tufts, 1to 3 em tall,frequently in extensive population; thalluscomposed of pseudodichotomouslybranching main axes, typically ending indensely branched fasciculate terminal branchsystems, light green; attached to thesubstratum by branching rhizoids developingfrom the basal cells; terminal branch systemsdistinctly acropetally organized, (refracto-)falcate. Cells producing one to three(sometimes four) branches. Apical cellscylindrical, with rounded tips or slightlytapering.
Plants dark-brownish pink in colour,thallus leafy, monoecious, membranous,mucilaginous, mono stromatic, large, up to 35em long, margins without any microscopicspines, attached tightly to the rockysubstratum at the upper littoral region.
Specimen examined: Mahe, India. Fieldno. 127234.
ORDER: GELIDIALES
FAMILY: GELIDIACEAE
9. Gelidium micropterum Kuetzing
Kuetzing, 1868: 21 (type locality:Cape of Good Hope, South Africa);
Krishnamurthy & Joshi, 1970: 18; Silva et ai.,1996: 139; Oza & Zaidi, 2001 : 15; Jha et al.,2009: 113.
Plants dark red in colour; thallus tuft,
flattened, 2.5 -4.5 em long, cartilaginous withblunt - obtuse apices, branching bi- or tripinnate or irregular sometimes. Mostlygrowing on calcareous stones.
Specimen examined: Mahe, India. fieldno. 127543, 127752.
Marine macro algal diversity of Mahe Coast in Kerala 26
Plants brownish green - blackish redin colour; thallus bushy, tuft, lubricous, sub
cylindrical or compressed; branches usuallysimple in the upper portion, monopodial orvariable in the basal portion; marginalbranchlets sub- distichous and narrow.
Specimen examined: Mahe, India. Field no.127231,127541.
Plants pinkish red in colour; thallustuft and bushy with apical hooks; upto 30 cmlong, initially attached to the substratum, lateroften free floating, free branched; branchesusually covered with short spine like branches,apices often thickened and hooked.
Plants forming groups of rope-like,woolly structures, up to 2 cm long, composedof densely entangled filaments, light brownto creamy; the main filaments with irregularbranching, bearing irregularly placed, spaced,hook-like, curved branchlets, perpendicular onthe main filaments, keeping the filamentstogether.
Specimen examined: Mahe, India. Field no.127285.
In the present study 14 species ofseaweeds were recorded at Mahe coast. The
present investigation revealed the richnessof algal diversity when compared to the earlierfindings (Chennubhotla et al., 1988;Kaliaperumal and Chennubhotla, 1997) atMahe coast. Newly laid stone boulders andconcrete wall support the seaweed growth.Among the algae distributed Chlorophyceaeconstituted 50%, Rhodophyceae 42.85% andPhaeophyceae 7.15%. Because of harbourconstruction and ship movement, the coastalwaters of Mahe is affected. The oil spillingmay also decrease the algal diversity in future.Hence, the necessary measures have to betaken to conserve the algal vegetation in thenatural sea bed at Mahe coast.
AcknowledgementsThe authors are thankful to Dr.
Paramjit Singh, Director, Botanical Survey ofIndia, Kolkata for the facilities provided duringthe study.
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