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1,2 15. Prathapan, K. D. and Konstantinov, A. 21. Ruiz‐Guerra, B., Guevara, R., Mariano, OVEE THORAT 1,2 S., Proc. Entomol. Soc., 2003, 105, 154– N. A. and Dirzo, R., Oikos, 2010, 119, RONITA MUKHERJEE 1,2 159. 317–325. R. VENKAT RAMANUJAM 16. Futuyma, D. J., In Proceedings of Ses- 1,2, VIKRAM ADITYA * sion: Host-Specificity Testing of Exotic 1 M. SOUBADRA DEVY Arthropod Biological Control Agents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. This paper is an

(eds Van Driesche, R. G. et al.), USDA, output of a field course on plant– inter- 2000, pp. 42–53. actions of ATREE in 2012 conducted by 1 17. Devy, M. S. and Davidar, P., Am. J. Bot., M.S.D. We thank T. Ganesh (ATREE) for Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology 2003, 90, 650–657. providing valuable comments on the manu- and the Environment, 18. Champion, H. G. and Seth, S. K., A Re- script. We also thank staff at KMTR field sta- Royal Enclave, vised Survey of the Forest Types of India, tion, Tamil Nadu Forest Department, and Sriramapura, Jakkur Post, Government of India Press, New Delhi, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board for their sup- Bengaluru 560 064, India 1968. port, as well as A. Sarvanan and Tamilazagan 2Manipal University, 19. Ganesh, T., Ganesan, R., Soubadra Devy, for field support. Madhav Nagar, M., Davidar, P. and Bawa, K., Curr. Sci., Manipal 576 104, India 1996, 71, 379–392. Received 1 March 2015; revised accepted 2 *For correspondence. 20. Niesenbaum, R. A. and Kluger, E. C., Environ. Entomol., 2006, 35, 600–606. May 2016 e-mail: [email protected]

Unusual weather condition causing the transfer of seahorses Hippocampus kuda onto the sandy beach of Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra

While surveying for raptors along the tographed the seahorses, measured their photographs (Figure 3) with Riley Pol- Achara beach in Malvan taluk of Sind- length and released them back into the lom, Syngnathid Research Biologist and hudurg district, Maharashtra, seahorses sea. We attribute this unusual find of the IUCN Red List Authority Coordinator in Hippocampus kuda belonging to the fam- seahorses on shore to the high wind ve- the Project Seahorse – Institute for the ily Syngnathidae were noticed on the locity measuring up to 25 miles/h (Figure Oceans and Fisheries, The University of beach on 23 June 2015. All seahorses 2) during the afternoon from 1300 to British Columbia. She confirmed the belong to one genus Hippocampus, in 1400 h on 23 June 2015 on a day which species as Hippocampus kuda and stated which there are 34 species recognized all was also overcast and gloomy. The pe- that it was not an usual phenomenon to over the world1–4. Despite their small riod also coincided with the passage of find seahorses on beaches in live condi- size, seahorses form a valuable fisheries Ashoba cyclone through the Arabian Sea tion, but can be expected at times of un- resource in some areas and support a which could have led to changes in the usual environmental conditions. sizeable international trade. Hence all water currents and the increased wind Seahorses have been reported from the Hippocampus species are listed under velocity. We shared our observation and coast of Maharashtra and Goa7 as the Appendix II of the CITES and are cate- gorized as vulnerable in the IUCN 2015 Red List of species5,6. The Government of India has banned the export permits for all Syngnathids and kept them under Schedule-I of the Indian Wildlife (Pro- tection) Act, 1972. This communication documents the environmental condition rather than the trade aspects associated with seahorses in Malvan taluk. We observed four individuals of sea- horses Hippocampus kuda on the Achara beach (161159.91N, 73266.65E) (Figure 1). Their length was found to vary between 12.5 cm to 18 cm, three were found thrown alive onto the beach by the waves that lashed the coast in our presence. We also found one dead specimen on the beach. They seemed to be stranded and were unable to move back into the water. Therefore, we pho- Figure 1. Google imagery showing locations of seahorses encountered on Achara beach.

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implementation of Decision 12.54, 30 April 2004, pp. 1–2; http://www.cites.org/ eng/notif/2004/033.pdf 6. Aylesworth, L., The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014; http://dx.doi. org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20143.RLTS.T10- 075A16664386.en. 7. Sreepada, R. A., Desai, U. M. and Naik, S., Curr. Sci., 2002, 82(4), 377–378. 8. Vincent, A. C. J., NAGA ICLARM Quart., 1995, 18, 18–19.

Figure 2. Wind speed in mph for a 24-hour period during 14 to 28 June 2015 (Source: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. We thank Dr P. www.worldweatheronline.com/malvan-weather-history/Maharashtra/IN.aspx). A. Azeez, Director SACON for encourage- ment and support. We also thank the Man- grove Cell, Maharashtra for financial support to study the shore birds.

Received 25 February 2016; revised accepted 3 June 2016

1,2 AMIT PATIL 1 BHUPENDRA SHIRKE 1 S. BABU 1 Figure 3. Seahorses Hippocampus kuda on Achara beach, Maharashtra. G. BABU RAO 1, GOLDIN QUADROS * region has good amount of rocky out- 2. Lourie, S. A. and Randall, J. E., Zool. crops, mangroves and corals that form Stud., 2003, 42, 284–291. 1Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and the natural habitat for the sea horses8. 3. Lourie, S. A., Foster, S. J., Cooper, E. W. Natural History, However this is the first observational T. and Vincent, A. C. J., A Guide to the Annaikatty Post, record of seahorses thrown by the sea Identification of Seahorses, Project Sea- Coimbatore 641 108, India horse and TRAFFIC North America,. waves onto sandy shore. 2 Washington D.C., University of British Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Columbia and World Wildlife Fund, 2004. 1. Lourie, S. A., Vincent, A. C. J. and Hall, 4. Project seahorse, The seahorse Trade; Oceanography, H. J., Seahorses: An Identification Guide http://seahorse.fisheries.ubc.ca/trade.html Dona Paula, to the World Species and their Conserva- (accessed on 28 June 2015). Goa 403 004, India tion, Project Seahorse, London, UK, 1999, 5. CITES, Notification to the Parties, No. *For correspondence. p. 214. 2004/033 concerning trade in seahorses: e-mail: [email protected]

An unusual diet of Ichthyophis (Amphibia: )

Gymnophiona (caecilians) constitute one semiaquatic forms3. A detailed under- dipteran larvae, centipedes, antlions, of the three extant orders of Lissam- standing of biology and behav- thrips and slugs7 and very rarely on ver- phibia, the other two orders being Anura iour has remained elusive because of tebrates such as scolecophidian snakes (frogs and toads) and Caudata (newts and their fossoriality3. The scanty account of ( thomense)8, lizards salamanders). The 207 nominate cae- their ecology is essentially based on in- (Dermophis mexicanus)9, small fishes cilian species1 described to date under 10 cidental observations made on a small (Chthonerpeton haydee)10 and frogs families2 are confined to certain tropical number of caecilians in the captive set- (Chthonerpeton indistinctum)11. The ma- and subtropical regions of South Amer- tings such as in laboratory or museum jor reported predators of caecilians are ica, Africa and Asia3. The habitat of collections4. snakes3,12 with occasional records of car- most caecilians is moist and porous soil Caecilians are considered as generalist nivorous birds, fishes, turtles, frogs, dogs that is rich in humus and organic matter. predators5. They feed primarily on soil and aquatic mammals6. However, there Whereas members of the South Ameri- ecosystem engineers: ants, termites and are no reports of caecilians preying on can Typhlonectidae include aquatic and earthworms6. Occasionally they feed on other caecilians.

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