Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 14 (5): 587-597, 2013 ISSN 1990-9233 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.14.5.71212

Status of Scleractinian Diversity at Nancowry Group of Islands Andaman and

11Tamal Mondal, C. Raghunathan and 2 K. Venkataraman

1Zoological Survey of , Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, National Reef Research Institute, Haddo, Port Blair-744 102, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India 2Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhawan, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053, India

Abstract: Andaman and Nicobar Islands represent a varied group of islands in its distributional pattern. Nancowry group in Andaman and Nicobar is comprised of 4 islands such as Camorta, Katchall, Nancowry and Trinket. These islands represent 274 species of scleractinian with 22.26% to 58.39% of species composition among themselves. Shannon-Weaver Diversity index (H¯ ) of Scleractinian corals of the islands was calculated as 5.62 to 6.85, indicating very high coral diversity at Nancowry Islands. Simpson’s species density index (D) ranged from 0.97 to 0.98 while Pielou’s Species evenness index (J’) showed 0.93 to 0.94 in these islands. The similarity index (QS) regulated low values 17.43% to 48.98% as most of the species were dissimilar between the islands.

Key words: Scleractinian Diversity Density Evenness Nancowry group Andaman and Nicobar Islands

INTRODUCTION land mass in the form of separation such as Sombrero channel at the southernmost, Revello channel in A scattered mountain chain of 572 islands between Katchall Island and Carmorta-Nancowry contributed for the formation of a biologically most Island where as Beyesford channel in between productive area as Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Carmorta- and Trinket Island. presently designated as one of the 32 most important Such a kind of demographic situation of areas biological hot spots around the globe. Origin and protects or helps the highly diverse biological development of island’s tectonics of these areas gives organisms in its marine ecosystem. Scleractinian corals several shapes in the form of groups of islands within often called as rainforest of the sea, are among the the total numbers. Nancowry group of island is one of most ancient of ecosystem types of some 225 million the well recognized groups among all the areas, known years ago [1, 2]. The importance of coral reef as heart of Nicobar group due to its location at the ecosystems may be seen in their numerous ecological, central part among the 22 islands of Nicobar group. aesthetic, economic and cultural functions. The structure The Nancowry group comprised of four islands such of a reef provides homes and food for many types of Camorta, Katchall, Nancowry and Trinket. It is sub plants, fish and invertebrates [3]. This quantitative categorization part of Nicobar group which distributed documentation of scleractinian status is very essential from Car Nicobar to Great Nicobar Island. This group for the effective management and conservation of this of island is surrounded by Isle of Man at Northern unique marine ecosystem. The present study side, Teress and Bompoka Islands at North-western side documented as the status of diversity, density and and Miroe Island at the Southern side where as some evenness of coral species in four islands of Nancowry channels also have played a role for the making of these group of islands.

Corresponding Author: Tamal Mondal, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre, National Coral Reef Research Institute, Haddo, Port Blair-744 102, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. 587 Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 14 (5): 587-597, 2013

MATERIAL AND METHODS Evenness of a community was described by the Pielou’s Evenness Index (J’). The formula of the index is Four islands of Nancowry group such as Camorta [12] Island (Lat: 08°02.178’N and Long: 93°33.103’E),

Katchall Island (Lat: 07°58.952’N and Long: 93°24.351’E), J’=H’/H’max Nancowry Island (Lat: 07°59.517’Nand Long: 93°30.373’E) and Trinket Island (Lat: 08°06.260’N and Long: Where H' is the number derived from the Shannon 93°33.235’E) were surveyed during April 2012 to explore diversity. the Scleractinian corals and also to monitor the health Similarity Index is the simple measure of the extent status of those. Three reef areas were randomly selected to which two habitats species in common. It has been for each island to get precise data on species formulated below. quantification. “Manta tow” study method [4, 5] followed by Line Intercept Transect Method [6] and Quadrate S= (2C/a + b) X 100 methods [7] were applied to investigate the diversity of the scleractinian corals using Self Contained Underwater Where ‘C’= Number of species common at any two Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) diving. Belt transect stations, ‘a’= number of species at one station and method was also employed to quantify the data of the ‘b’= number of species at the other station [13]. diverse scleractinian corals. Digital photography was made simultaneously (Sony-Cyber shot, Model-T900, RESULTS marine pack, 12.1 megapixels) to record the species content in the quadrate during the study. The species of Surveys and monitoring on scleractinian corals of corals were identified in conjunction with Veron [8] and Nancowry group of islands reveals a total number of Wallace [9]. 274 species. Among them 160 species of corals under Species diversity was calculated following 49 genera and 14 families at Camorta Island, 61 species Shannon-Weaver diversity index formula described of corals under 26 genera and 09 families at Katchall below [10]. Island, 93 species of corals under 38 genera and 13 families at Trinket Island and 134 species of corals under

H¯= - pi loge pi 41 genera and 12 families at Nancowry Island were recorded (Table 1). The highest number of species was Where, pi = Proportion of number of individual of observed at Camorta Island whereas less number of a particular species and total number of individual of species at Katchall Island (Fig.1). all the species, H¯= diversity of a theoretically infinite The species diversity (H’) ranged from 5.62 to 6.85 population. at Katchall and Camorta Island respectively which are Simpson’s diversity index [11] is one of the truthful the highly significant values. Simpson’s density (D), indices to calculate the species diversity of any study in between 0.97 to 0.98, indicates a great deal of density site. It has been applied to calculate the species response among those study areas. Pielou’s evenness diversity of scleractinian corals of those islands. falls in between 0.93 and 0.94 (Fig. 2). Similarity Index The formula for the Simpson index is: (S) has been calculated between the islands and the values are depicted in Table 2. The maximum similarity s − D=1- ni( ni 1) index value (48.98%) was observed in between Camorta ∑i=1 ÷ NN( −1) and Nancowry Islands whereas lowest (17.43%) in between Katchall and Nancowry Islands (Table 2). Where S is the number of species, N is the total percentage cover or total number of organisms and n DISCUSSION is the percentage cover of a species or number of organisms of a species. In this form, D ranges from 1 to Undersea environment of Andaman and Nicobar 0, with 1 representing infinite diversity and 0 Islands offers a varied and complex lives of which representing no diversity. colourful coral reefs constitute the most fragile and

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Table 1: Species composition of Scleractinian Corals of Nancowry group of Islands. Sl. No. Scientific Name Camorta Katchall Trinket Nancowry FAMILY: Genus - Acropora 1. Acropora gemmifera (Brook, 1896) + +- - 2. Acropora cuneata (Dana,1846) +-- - 3. Acropora vaughani Wells, 1954 - -+ + 4. Acropora forskali (Ehrenberg, 1834) +-- - 5. Acropora hyacinthus (Dana, 1846) +-- - 6. Acropora nasuta (Dana, 1846) +-- + 7. (Brook, 1893) - +- - 8. Acropora valenciennesi (MED and H, 1860) - -+ + 9. Acropora divaricata (Dana, 1846) +-+ + 10. Acropora roseni Wallace, 1999 +-- - 11. Acropora striata (Verrill, 1866) +-- - 12. (Dana, 1846) +-+ - 13. Acropora forskali (Ehrenbeerg, 1834) - -+ - 14. Acropora plana Nemenzo, 1967 - -+ - 15. Acropora torresiana Veron, 2000 - -+ - 16. Acropora tutuilensis Hoffmeister, 1925 +-- - 17. Acropora carduus (Dana, 1846) - -- + 18. Acropora pectinata Veron, 2000 - -+ - 19. Acropora insignis Nemenzo, 1967 - -+ + 20. Acropora sqarrosa (Ehrenberg, 1834) - -- + 21. Acropora sekiseiensis Veron, 1990 - -- + 22. Acropora yongei Veron and Wallace, 1984 - -- + 23. Acropora caroliana Nemenzo, 1976 - -- + 24. Acropora chesterfieldensis Veron and Wallace, 1984 - -+ + 25. Acropora abrotanoides (Lamarck, 1816) - -+ - 26. Acropora latistella (Brook, 1891) - -+ + 27. Acropora polystoma (Brook, 1892) - -- + 28. Acropora microclados (Ehrenberg, 1834) - -- + 29. Acropora copiosa Nemenzo, 1967 - -- + 30. Acropora robusta (Dana, 1846) +-- + 31. Acropora digitifera (Dana, 1846) - -- + 32. Acropora subuata (Dana, 1846) - -- + 33. Acropora cophodactyla (Brook, 1892) - -- + 34. Acropora horrida (Dana, 1846) - -- + 35. Acropora palmerae Wells, 1954 +-- + 36. Acropora selago (Studer, 1878) +-+ + 37. Acropora papillare Latypov, 1992 - -- + 38. Acropora elseyi (Brrok, 1892) - -- + 39. Acropora cerealis (Dana, 1846) +-- + 40. Acropora hemprichii (Ehrenberg, 1834) +-- + 41. Acropora tenuis (Dana, 1845) +-- + 42. Acropora bruggemanni (Brook, 1893) +-- + 43. Acropora echinata Dana, 1846 - -- + 44. Acropora exquisita Nemenzo, 1971 - -- + 45. Acropora variolosa (Klunzinger, 1879) - -- + 46. Acropora longicyathus (MED and H, 1860) - -- + 47. Acropora massawensis Marenzeller, 1906 - -+ - 48. Acropora monticulosa (Bruggemann, 1879) + +- - 49. Acropora rudis (Rehberg, 1892) +-- + 50. Acropora formosa (Dana, 1846) +-+ - 51. Acropora natalensis Riegl, 1995 - -+ - 52. Acropora samoensis (Brook, 1891) +-- - 53. Acropora pinguis Wells, 1950 + +- - 54. Acropora florida (Dana, 1846) +-+ + 55. Acropora palifera (Lamarck,1816) + +- + 56. Acropora crateriformis (Gardiner, 1898) - -+ - 57. Acropora donei Veron and Wallace, 1984 - -+ -

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Table 1: Continue Sl. No. Scientific Name Camorta Katchall Trinket Nancowry Genus- Montipora 58. Montipora verrucosa (Lamarck, 1816) - -- + 59. Montipora informis Bernard, 1897 - - - + 60. Montipora verruculosus Veron, 2000 + - - - 61. Montipora florida Nemenzo, 1967 - - - + 62. Montipora vietnemensis Veron, 2000 - - - + 63. Montipora undata Bernard, 1897 - - - + 64. Montipora turtlensis Veron and Wallace, 1984 - - - + 65. Montipora mollis Bernard, 1897 +-- + 66. Montipora hispida (Dana, 1846) +-- - 67. Montipora taiwanensis Veron, 2000 +-- - 68. Montipora verrilli Vaughan, 1907 - -- + 69. Montipora spumosa (Lamarck, 1816) - -- + 70. Montipora peltiformis Bernard, 1897 +-- - 71. Montipora venosa (Ehrenberg, 1834) +-- - 72. Monntipora caliculata (Dana, 1846) +-- - 73. Montipora angulata (Lamarck, 1816) - -- + 74. Montipora grisea Bernard, 1897 +-+ - 75. Montipora efflorescens Bernard, 1897 +-- - 76. Montipora effusa Dana, 1846 +-- + 77. Montipora monasteriata (Forskal, 1775) - -+ - 78. Montipora corbettensis Veron and Wallace, 1984 - -- + Genus- Astreopora 79. Astreopora myriphthalma (Lamarck, 1816) + ++ + 80. Astreopora suggesta Wells, 1954 + +- - a. FAMILY: POCILLOPORIDAE b. Genus- Pocillopora 81. Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus,1758) +-- + 82. Pocillopora eydouxi MED and H, 1860 + +- - 83. Pocillopora elegans Dana, 1846 +-- - 84. Pocillopora verrucosa (Ellis and Solander, 1786) +-- + 85. Pocillopora meandrina Dana, 1846 - +- - 86. Pocillopora kelleheri Veron, 2000 - +- + enus- Stylophora 87. Stylophora pistillata Esper, 1797 - -+ + 88. Stylophora danae MED and H, 1850 - -- + 89. Stylophora subseriata (Ehrenberg, 1834) - -- + Genus- Seriatopora 90. Seriatopora hystrix Dana, 1846 +-- + 91. Seriatopora stellata Quelch, 1886 - -+ + 92. Seriatopora aculeata Quelch, 1886 - -- + a. FAMILY: OCULINIDAE b. Genus- Galaxea 93. Galaxea fascicularis (Linnaeus,1767) +-+ + 94. Galaxea astreata (Lamarck, 1816) +-- + a. FAMILY: SIDERASTREIDAE b. Genus- Psammocora 95. Psammocora digitata MED and H, 1851 - -+ + 96. Psammocora contigua (Esper, 1797) - -- + 97. Psammocora profundacella Gardiner, 1898 - +- -

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Table 1: Continue Sl. No. Scientific Name Camorta Katchall Trinket Nancowry Genus- Siderastrea 98. Siderastrea radians (Pallas, 1766) - -- + Genus- Coscinaraea 99. Coscinaraea monile (Forskal, 1775) - -- + 100. Coscinaraea crassa Veron and Pichon, 1980 +-- + 101. Coscinaraea columna (Dana, 1846) - +- - a. FAMILY: AGARICIIDAE b. Genus- Pachyseris 102. Pachyseris gemmae Nemenzo,1955 +-+ + 103. Pachyseris rugosa (Lamarck, 1801) - -- + 104. Pachyseris speciosa (dana, 1846) +-+ + Genus- Gardineroseris 105. Gardineroseris planulata (Dana, 1846) - +- - Genus- Pavona 106. Pavona duerdeni Vaughan, 1907 + +- - 107. Pavona minuta Wells, 1954 +-- - 108. Pavona calvus (Dana, 1846) +-- - 109. Pavona venosa (Ehrenberg, 1834) - +- + 110. Pavona diffluens (Lamarck, 1816) +-- - 111. Pavona varians Verrill, 1864 + ++ + 112. Pavona bipartita Nemenzo, 1980 - +- + 113. Pavona explanulata (Lamarck, 1816) +-+ + Genus- Coeleseris 114. Coeleseris mayeri Vaughan, 1918 +-- + Genus- Leptoseris 115. Leptoseris mycetoseroides Wells, 1954 +-- + 116. Leptoseris explanata Yaba and Sugiyama, 1941 - -- + 117. Leptoseris hawaiensis Vaughan, 1907 +-- - 118. Leptoseris solida (Quelch, 1886) - -- + 119. Leptoseris cuculata (Ellis and Solander, 1786) - -+ - 120. Leptoseris incrustans (Quelch, 1886) + +- + 121. Leptoseris yabei (Pillai and Scheer, 1976) +-+ - 122. Leptoseris striata Fenner and Veron, 2000 - -- + 123. Leptoseris foliosa Dinesen, 1980 +-- - FAMILY: ASTROCOENIIDAE Genus- Stylocoeniella 124. Stylocoeniella guentheri Bassett-Smith, 1890 +-+ - FAMILY: FUNGIIDAE Genus- Cantharellus 125. Cantharellus doederleini (Marenzeller, 1907) +-- - Genus- Cycloseris 126. Cycloseris costulata (Ortmann, 1889) +-- - 127. Cycloseris vaughani (Boschma, 1923) +-- - Genus- Ctenactis 128. Cteanactis echinata (Pallas, 1766) - -- + 129. Cteanactis crassa (Dana, 1846) +-+ - Genus- Fungia 130. Fungia scutaria Lamarck, 1801 +-- - 131. Fungia paumotensis Stutchbury,1833 +-+ + 132. Fungia danai MED and H, 1851 +-+ + 133. Fungia fungites (Linnaeus, 1758) - -+ - 134. Fungia concinna Verrill, 1864 +-- + 135. Fungia scabra Doderlein, 1901 - -- + 136. Fungia scruposa Klunzinger, 1879 - -- + 137. Fungia horrida Dana, 1846 +-- - 138. Fungia repanda Dana, 1846 +-+ - 139. Fungia klunzingeri Doderlein, 1901 - -+ - 140. Fungia corona Doderlein, 1901 - -- + 141. Fungia granulousa Klunzinger, 1879 - -- -

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Table 1: Continue Sl. No. Scientific Name Camorta Katchall Trinket Nancowry Genus- Herpolitha 142. Herpolitha weberi Horst, 1921 +-- + 143. Herpolitha limax (Houttuyn, 1772) +-+ - Genus- Podabacia 144. Podabacia lankaensis Veron, 2000 +-- + a. FAMILY: MUSSIDAE b. Genus- Symphyllia 145. Symphyllia recta (Dana, 1846) + ++ + 146. Symphyllia agaricia MED and H, 1849 - -+ - 147. Symphyllia radians MED and H, 1849 + ++ + 148. Symphyllia valenciennessii MED and H, 1849 +-- - Genus- Lobophyllia 149. Lobophyllia hemprichii (Ehrenberg, 1834) +-- + 150. Lobophyllia pachysepta Chevalier, 1975 - -+ - Genus- Australomussa 151. Australomussa rowleyensis Veron, 1985 - -+ + Genus- Scolymia 152. Scolymia australis (MED and H, 1849) - -+ - 153. Scolymia vitiensis Bruggemann, 1877 +-+ + Genus- Acanthastrea 154. Acanthastrea faviaformis Veron, 2000 - -+ - 155. Acanthastrea hemprichii (Ehrenberg, 1834) - -+ - 156. Acanthastrea echinata (Dana, 1846) - +- - 157. Acanthastrea regularis Veron, 2000 +-+ - 158. Acanthastrea brevis MED and H, 1849 +-- - a. FAMILY: FAVIIDAE b. Genus- Favia 159. Favia danae Verrill, 1872 +-+ - 160. Favia maxima Veron and Pichon, 1977 +-- + 161. Favia lizardensis Veron and Pichon, 1977 +-+ + 162. Favia speciosa Dana, 1846 + ++ + 163. Favia marshae Veron, 2000 - -+ - 164. Favia favus (Forskal, 1775) +-+ + 165. Favia helianthoides Wells, 1954 - -+ + 166. Favia rotumana (Gardiner, 1899) + +- - 167. Favia pallida (Dana, 1846) +-+ + 168. Favia matthaii Vaughan, 1918 + ++ + 169. Favia stelligera (Dana, 1846) - -- - 170. Favia truncatus Veron, 2000 + +- + 171. Favia albidus Veron, 2000 +-- - 172. Favia veroni Moll and Borel-Best, 1984 - -+ + Genus- Plesiastrea 173. Plesiastrea versipora (lamarck, 1816) + +- - Genus- Leptoria 174. Leptoria irregularis Veron, 1990 +-- 175. Leptoria phrygia (Ellis and Solander, 1786) + +- + Genus- Diploastrea 176. Diploastrea heliopora (Lamarck, 1816) +-+ + Genus- Oulastrea 177. Oulastrea crispata (Lamarck, 1816) - +- -

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Table 1: Continue Sl. No. Scientific Name Camorta Katchall Trinket Nancowry Genus- Favites 178. Favites abdita (Ellis and Solander, 1786) + +- - 179. Favites acuticollis (Ortmann, 1889) +-+ - 180. Favites micropentagona Veron, 2000 + +- - 181. Favites bestae Veron, 2000 +-+ - 182. Favites halicora (Ehrenberg, 1834) + ++ - 183. Favites chinensis (Verrill, 1866) + ++ - 184. Favites flexuosa (Dana, 1846) - -+ - 185. Favites paraflexuosa Veron, 2000 +-- - 186. Favites pentagona (Esper, 1794) + ++ + 187. Favites complanata (Ehrenberg, 1834) + ++ + 188. Favites russelli (Wells, 1954) +-- - 189. Favites vasta (Klunzinger, 1879) +-- + 190. Favites spinosa (Klunzinger, 1879) + ++ - Genus- Platygyra 191. Platygyra pini Chevalier, 1975 + +- - 192. Platygyra sinensis (MED and H, 1849) + +- - 193. Platygura ryukyuensis Yabe and Sugiyama, 1936 + +- + 194. Platygyra crosslandi Matthai, 1928 + ++ - 195. Platygyra acuta Veron, 2000 +-- - 196. Platygyra lamellina (Ehrenberg, 1834) - +- - 197. Platygyra verweyi Wijsman-Best, 1976 +-- - 198. Platygyra contorta Veron, 1990 + +- - Genus- Oulophyllia 199. Oulophyllia levis (Nemenzo, 1959) + +- - 200. Oulophyllia crispa (Lamarck, 1816) - +- - Genus- Montastrea 201. Montastrea curta (Dana, 1846) + +- - 202. Montastrea colemani Veron, 2000 +-- + 203. Montastrea annuligera MED and H, 1849 - +- - 204. Montastrea magnistellata Chevalier, 1971 - +- - 205. Montastrea salebrosa (Nemenzo, 1955) +-- + 206. Montastrea annularis (Ellis and Solander, 1786) - ++ - 207. Montastrea valenciennesi (MED and H, 1860) - ++ - Genus- Barabattoia 208. Barabattoia amicorum (MED and H, 1830) +-+ + 209. Barabattoia laddi (Wells, 1954) +-+ - Genus- Leptastrea 210. Leptastrea purpurea (Dana, 1846) +-+ + 211. Leptastrea pruinosa Crossland, 1952 - +- - 212. Leptastrea aequalis Veron, 2000 +-- - 213. Leptastrea transversa Klunzinger, 1879 - ++ - Genus- Goniastrea 214. Goniastrea edwardsi Chevalier, 1971 + ++ - 215. Goniastrea retiformis (Lamarck, 1816) +-- + 216. Goniastrea minuta Veron, 2000 + ++ - 217. Goniastrea aspera Verrill, 1905 - -+ + 218. Goniastrea palauensis (Yabe and Sugiyama, 1936) +-- - 219. Goniastrea favulus (Dana, 1846) - -+ -

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Table 1: Continue Sl. No. Scientific Name Camorta Katchall Trinket Nancowry Genus- Cyphastrea 220. Cyphastrea japonica Yabe and Sugiyama, 1932 - +- - 221. Cyphastrea ocellina (Dana, 1864) - +- - 222. Cyphastrea serailia (Forskal, 1775) +-+ + 223. Cyphastrea chalcidicum (Forskal, 1775) +-+ + 224. Cyphastrea microphthalma (Lamarck, 1816) +-+ + Genus- Echinopora 225. Echinopora pacificus Veron, 1990 +-+ + 226. Echinopora fruticulosa (Ehrenberg, 1834) +-- - 227. Echinopora hirsutissima MED and H, 1849 +-- - 228. Echinopora gammacea Lamarck, 1816 + ++ + FAMILY: PECTINIIDAE Genus- Oxypora 229. Oxypora crassispinosa Nemenzo, 1979 +-- + 230. Oxypora glabra Nemenzo, 1959 - -+ - Genus- Echinophyllia 231. Echinophyllia orpheensis Veron and Pichon, 1980 - -- - 232. Echinophyllia echinoporoides Veron and Pichon, 1980 - -+ + 233. Echinophyllia aspera (Ellis and Solander, 1786) - -+ + Genus- Mycedium 234. Mycedium elephantotus (Pallas, 1766) - -+ - Genus- Pectinia 235. Pectinia paeonia (Dana, 1846) +-+ + 236. Pectinia alcicornis (Saville-Kent, 1871) - -- + 237. Pectinia lactuca (Pallas, 1766) - -- - a. FAMILY: PORITIDAE b. Genus- Porites 238. Porites solida (Forskal, 1775) + +- + 239. Porites murrayensis Vaughaan, 1918 - ++ - 240. Porites monticulosa Dana, 1846 - -- + 241. Porites cylindrica Dana, 1846 +-- - 242. Porites murrayensis Vaughan, 1918 + +- + 243. Porites latistella (Quelch, 1886) - -- + 244. Porites stephensoni Crossland, 1952 - -- + 245. Porites rus (Forskal, 1775) +-- + 246. Porites densa Vaughan, 1918 - -+ - 247. Porites lobata Dana, 1846 +-- + 248. Porites nodifera Klunzinger, 1879 +-- - Genus- Goniopora 249. Goniopora lobata MED and H, 1860 +-- - 250. Goniopora columna Dana, 1846 - -- + 251. Goniopora minor Crossland, 1952 +-- - 252. Goniopora albiconus Veron, 2000 +-- - Genus- Alveopora 253. Alveopora allingi Hoeffmeister, 1925 +-- - 254. Alveopora gigas Veron, 1985 +-- - FAMILY: MERULINIDAE Genus- Hydnophora 255. Hydnophora microconos (Lamarck, 1816) + +- - 256. Hydnophora exesa (Pallas, 1766) - -- - 257. Hydnophora grandis Gardiner, 1904 +-- - 258. Hydnophora rigida (Dana, 1846) +-- - Genus- Merulina 259. Merulina scabricula Dana, 1846 +-- + 260. Merulina ampliata (Ellis and Solander, 1786) +-+ +

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Table 1: Continue Sl. No. Scientific Name Camorta Katchall Trinket Nancowry Genus- Scapophyllia 261. Scapophyllia cylindrica MED and H, 1848 +-- + FAMILY: DENDROPHYLLIIDAE Genus- Turbinaria 262. Turbinaria reniformis Bernard, 1896 +-- - Genus- Dendrophyllia 263. Dendrophyllia robusta (Bourne,1905) - +- - Genus- Tubastrea 264. Tubastrea coccinia Lesson, 1829 +- - 265. Tubastrea diaphana Dana, 1846 +-- - 266. Tubastrea micrantha Ehrenberg, 1834 +-- - Genus- Rhizopsammia 267. Rhizopsammia verrilli van der Horst, 1922 +-- - FAMILY: EUPHYLLIDAE Genus- Physogyra 268. Physogyra lichtensteini (MED and H, 1851) +-+ + Genus- Plerogyra 269. Plerogyra sinuosa (Dana, 1846) +-+ + Genus- Catalaphyllia 270. Catalaphyllia jardinei (Saville-Kent, 1893) +-- - Genus- Euphyllia 271. Euphyllia glabrescens (Chamisso Eysenhardt, 1821) - -+ - 272. Euphyllia paraglabrescens Veron, 2000 +-- - 273. Euphyllia ancora Veron and Pichon, 1980 +-- + 274. Euphyllia crispata Chevalier, 1971 +-- - Total No. of Species 160 61 93 134 Total No. of Genera (59) 49 26 38 41 Total No. of Families (14) 14 09 13 12 Shannon-Weaver Diversity Index 6.85 5.62 5.81 6.58 Simpson’s Density Index 0.988 0.97 0.983 0.986 Pielou’s Evenness Index 0.93 0.94 0.94 0.93

Table 2: Similarity Index of Study Areas Katchall Trinket Nancowry Camorta 34.38 38.73 48.98 Katchall 24.67 17.43 Trinket 40.52

Fig. 2: Diversity, Density and Evenness indices among 4 islands

give sustainable livelihood support for a wide range of Fig. 1: Species composition among 4 islands faunal communities for their existence. Although they are diverse as a whole this diversity is not evenly interesting faunal element as elsewhere in distributed among habitat types within the reef [15]. Indo-Pacific Reefs [14]. The Coral reef ecosystems are The first studies on coral reefs in India started as early the most diverse and complex aquatic communities, as 1847 by Rink in Nicobar Islands in the form of

595 Middle-East J. Sci. Res., 14 (5): 587-597, 2013 taxonomic identification. A total account on the corals of 2. Rodrigues, M.J., H. Motta, M.A.M. Pereira, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been reported with M. Gonçalves, M. Carvalho and M. Schleyer, 1999. the impetus gained from the earlier works on the Reef Monitoring in Mozambique. I: The collection of Andaman and Nicobar Islands [16]. Monitoring Programme and Maputo, MICOA/IIP, Sewell provided the first account of the ecology and pp: 57. formation of reef in the region of Nicobar Islands [17]. 3. Nelson, V., 1999. State of Coral Reefs Cambodia. 85% reef areas are found in Indo-Pacific region due to Environment Coastal Zone Project, MoE/Danida, presence of favorable habitat [18]. Coral reefs of Nicobar Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Islands were more diverse than the 4. Done, T.J., R.A. Kenchinton and L.D. Zell, 1982. with the listing of 135 corals from that region [19]. Rapid, large area, reef resource surveys using a The present study indicates a total number of manta board. Proceedings of the Fourth 274 species from only 4 islands of the Nicobar Region. International Coral Reef Symposium, Manila, Among those total numbers 11 species were recorded as 2: 597-600. new distributional record from Nancowry group of 5. Kenchinton, R.A., 1984. Large area surveys of coral Islands [20-22]. Diversification in species composition reefs. UNESCO Reports in Marine Science, was seen as a variety among the scleractinians of 21: 92-103. Nancowry group of islands. Camorta Island (58.39%) 6. Bradbury, R.H., R.E. Reichelt, D.L. Meyer and represents maximum number of species composition R.A. Birtles, 1886. Patterns in the distribution of among the reported total number of corals from the group the crinoid community at Davies Reef on the of Island where as Nancowry Island represent very central Great Barrier Reef, Coral Reefs, near of half of the total number scleractinians. 5: 189-196. Though the variation of species composition is it wide 7. Endean, R. and W. Stablum, 1973. A study of range, but all the islands have a great deal of species diversity, density and evenness as all these variables some aspects of the crown of thorns starfish were in optimum level or above. Though four islands (A. planci) infestations of reefs of Australia's are located very nearby to each other but the similarity Great Barrier Reef. Atoll Res. Bull, 167: 1-60. indices registered below 50%, which indicate a vast 8. Veron, J.E.N., 2000. Corals of the World. diversity in that environment. Report of 274 species of Australian Institute of Marine Science, hermatypic corals from 4 islands is alone itself an pp: 1-3. explanatory avenue for enriched island biodiversity at 9. Wallace, C.C., 1999. Staghorn Corals of the continental shelf of marine arena. In order to conserve world. CSIRO Publications, Melbourne, pp: 421. the coral reefs of the Nancowry group of Islands, a 10. Weaver, W. and C.E. Shannon, 1949. satisfactory consciousness amongst the society is The Mathematical Theory of Communication. obligatory which helps to look after marine biodiversity. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois. 11. Simpson, E.D., 1949. Measurement of diversity. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Nature, 163: 688. 12. Pielou, E.C., 1966. The measurement of diversity Authors are grateful to the Ministry of in different types of biological collections. J. Environment and Forests, Government of India for Theor. Biol., 13: 131-144. providing financial assistance to undertake the study through the projects of National Coral Reef Research 13. Raghunathan, C., B. Mehmuna, C. Sivaperuman Institute, Zoological Survey of India, Port Blair. and R. Kirubagaran, 2009. Diversity of Oceanic Zooplankton in . Nature REFERENCES Environment and Pollution Technolgy, 8(4): 635-644. 1. Schleyer, M.H., D. Obura, H. Motta and 14. Ramakrishna, Tamal Mondal, C. Raghunathan M.J. Rodrigues, 1999. A Preliminary Assessment of and C. Sivaperuman, 2010. New Records of Coral Bleaching in Mozambique. South African Scleractinian Corals in Andaman and Nicobar Association for Marine Biological Research, Islands. Rec. zool. Surv. India, Occ. Paper No., Report No, 168: 12. 321: 1-144.

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15. Karlson, R.H., H.V. Cornell and T.P. Hughes, 20. Tamal Mondal, C. Raghunathan and 2004. Coral communities are regionally enriched K. Venkataraman, 2012. New Distribution Report along an oceanic biodiversity gradient, Nature, of Ten Scleractinian Corals to Indian Water 429: 867-870. from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Research J. 16. Scheer, G. and C.S.G. Pillai, 1974. Report on Science and Tech., 4(4): 152-157. from the Nicobar Islands. 21. Tamal Mondal, C. Raghunathan and Zoologica (Stuttgart) 42: 75. K. Venkataraman, 2012. Distributional record of 17. Sewell, R.B.S., 1922. A survey season in the five scleractinian corals from Andaman and Nicobar Islands on the R.I.M.S. Ínvestigator” Nicobar Islands. IOSR Journal of Pharmacy, October 1921 to March 1922. Journal of the 2(5): 38-43. Bombay Natural History Society, 28: 970-989. 22. Tamal Mondal, C. Raghunathan and 18. Smith, S.V., 1978. Coral reef area and the K. Venkataraman, New record of six contribution of reefs to processes and resources scleractinians with four Vulnerable and one Near of the world oceans. Nature, 273: 225-226. Threatened to Indian Waters from Nancowry 19. Pillai, C.S.G., 1983. Structure and genetic group of Islands andaman and Nicobar Islands. diversity of recent Scleractinia of India. J. Mar. International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Bio. Assoc. India, 25: 78-90. Sciences (In press).

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