A Checklist of Indian Sea Pen (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Pennatulacea)

Indian Journal of Geo Marine Sciences Vol. 47 (05), May 2018, pp. 1014-1017

A Checklist of Indian Sea pen (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Pennatulacea)

Prasad Chandra Tudu1*, Dipanjan Ray2 & Anil Mohapatra3 1Marine Aquarium and Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Digha, West Bengal - 721428, India. 2Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya, Bajkul, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal - 721655, India. 3Estuarine Biology Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Odisha – 761002, India.

*[Email: [email protected]]

Received 26 July 2016; revised 28 November 2016

A checklist of Indian sea pen is provided based on recent survey and literarture available at different source. A total of 53 species belonging to 15 genera and 10 families are found in Indian waters. The family Pennatulidae Ehrenberg, 1834 is the most species-taxon (17 species) whereas Anthoptilidae Kölliker, 1880, Scleroptilidae Jugersen, 1904, Halipteridae Williams, 1995, and Protoptilidae Kölliker, 1872 are lowest in species count (1 species each). Number of species is higher in the east coast (including Bay of Bengal and Andaman Islands) as compared to the west coast (including Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep Islands). Among the regions of east coast, Andaman and Nicobar Islands are very rich in sea pen diversity.

[Keywords: Checklist, Pennatulacea, Sea pens].

Introduction deep-sea up to 6,600 ft or more, from tropics to Polar The sea pens, order Pennatulacea Verrill, 1865, are Regions. They are bioluminescent animals, when possibly the most morphologically distinctive group touched emits a greenish light. of octocorals, and achieve the highest level of colony Studies and exploration of pennatulaceans of India integration among anthozoans1. Their colonies started in end of the Ninetieth century; and carried develop from an axial polyp (Oozooid), which out by Marshall & Fowler2, Fowler3 and Thurston4; differentiates into a bulbous peduncle used to anchor and in the early Twentieth century by Thomson the colony in soft substrate, and a distal rachis that and Henderson5,6, Thomson & Simpson7 (reports bears secondary polyps. Colony is usually supported the survey of Royal Indian Marine Survey ship 8, 9 by an internal, rod-like axis of non-scleritic calcite, INVESTIGATOR) and Thomson and Crane . Later 10 11,12 similar in crystalline structure to that of the ellisellid on exploration done by Hornell , Graveley , 13 14 gorgonians. Secondary polyps of sea pens are usually Sankolli & Neelakantan , Goswami , Ramakrishna et al.15, Mitra et al.16, Veena and Kalandharan17,18&19, dimorphic, consisting of tentaculate autozooids and 20 21 siphonozooids that lack or have greatly reduced Yennawar and Tudu and Yogesh Kumar et al . At a tentacles. In general, most of the species are look like standstill, further research on sea pen of Indian an antique quill pen, but certainly not all. The 14 waters is required since the knowledge on sea pen families of Pennatulacea currently considered to be is inadequate. The present paper is an attempt to valid1 are distinguished largely by the arrangement of layout the diversity of sea pens in the form of a checklist. the secondary polyps around the rachis, with some families displaying distinctly bilateral colony Materials and Methods symmetry. Sea pens live partially buried in soft Intertidal habitats in the west coast (Gujarat) and sediments; although they reach their highest diversity east coast of India were systematically assessed for in the deep-sea some species are found in shallow sea pens during various survey programme of water, including Indo-Pacific coral reefs and Zoological Survey of India. Collections were estuaries1. These benthic animals can be found in also made from bycatches of fish trawling at different marine habitats, right from intertidal to the Digha landing centre (east coast). The data on sea TUDU et al.: A CHECKLIST OF INDIAN SEA PEN 1015

pens were also compiled from available literature in has the maximum number of species (17 species) libraries, museum records and internet resources. The followed by Veretillidae Herklots, 1858 (10 species), classification follows Daly et al.1 and Crowther 22. Umbellulidae Kölliker, 1880 (9 species), Virgulariidae Verrill, 1868 (8 species), Funiculinidae Gray, 1870 Results and Discussion (3 species), Kophobelemnonidae Gray, 1860 (2 species) A total of 53 species of sea pens belonging to 15 and Anthoptilidae Kölliker, 1880, Scleroptilidae genera and 10 families are found in India waters Jugersen, 1904, Halipteridae Williams, 1995, and (Table.1). The family Pennatulidae Ehrenberg, 1834 Protoptilidae Kölliker, 1872 (1 species each). Species

Table.1 — Checklist and distribution of sea pens in Indian waters Family-Kophobelemnonidae Gray, 1860 Genus-Kophobelemnon Asbjørnsen, 1856 1. Kophobelemnon burgeri var. indica Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Off Tamil Nadu coast6 (13° 05' 27" N and 80° 33' 44"E) Genus- Scerobelemnon Kölliker, 1872 2. Scerobelemnon kollikeri Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Off Kerala coast6 (11° 14' 30" N and 74° 57' 15"E) Family - Scleroptilidae Jugersen, 1904 Genus-Calibelemnon Nutting, 1908 3. Calibelemnon indicum Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Little Andaman6 (10° 06' N and 92° 29' E ) Family-Umbellulidae Kölliker, 1880 Genus-Umbellula Gray, 1870 4. Umbellula durissima Kölliker, 1880 Laccadives6 5. Umbellula dura Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Andaman Islands6 (10° 06'N and 92° 20'E) 6. Umbellula rosea Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Bay of Bengal6 (11° 58'N and 88° 52'E) 7. Umbellula purpurea Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Andaman Islands6 8. Umbellula elongata Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Off Kerala coast6 (09° 29' 34" N and 75° 38'E) 9. Umbellula köllikeri Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Bay of Bengal6 (12° 20'N and 85° 08'E) 10. Umbellula radiata Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Andaman Islands6 11. Umbellula pendula Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Andaman Islands6 12. Umbellula indica Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Andaman Islands6 Family- Anthoptilidae Kölliker, 1880 Genus-Anthoptilum Kölliker, 1880 13. Anthoptilum murrayi Kölliker, 1880 Off Kerala coast6 (11° 12' 47"N and 74° 25' 30"E) Family- Funiculinidae Gray, 1870 Genus- Funiculina Lamarck, 1816 14. Funiculina quadrangularis (Pallas, 1766) Andaman Islands6 (14° 13'N and 93° 240'E) 15. Funiculina gracilis Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Off Kerala coast6 (09° 34' 57"N and 75° 36' 30"E) Genus-Stachyptilum Kölliker, 1880 16. Stachyptilum maculatum Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Off Gujarat coast6 (21° 25' N and 68° 02' 30"E) Family- Veretillidae Herklots, 1858 Genus- Cavernularia Valenciennes in Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1850 17. Cavernularia andamanensis Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Odisha coast, Andamans7 18. Cavernularia pusilla (Philippi, 1835 Nicobar Island21 19. Cavernularia malabrica Fowler, 1894 Malabar coast (Calicut), Kerala4, Madras Museum Specimen3, Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)17, Digha (West Bengal)20

20. Cavernularia elegans (Herklots, 1858) Odisha coast, Chilaka, Sandheads (West Bengal)7, Digha, (West Bengal)14,15 & 20. 21. Cavernularia obesa Valenciennes in Milne-Edwards & Haime, Odisha coast7, Digha (West Bengal) 14, 15, Vishakhapatnam 1850 coast18. 22. Cavernularia lütkenii Kölliker, 1872 Odisha coast, River Hugli, Sansheads (West Bengal), Calicut (Kerala)7; Digha (West Bengal)14,15. 23. Cavernulina orientalis Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Odisha coast7; Digha (West Bengal)14, 15, Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)19. Genus- Lituaria Valenciennes in Milne-Edwards & Haime, 1850 (Contd.) 1016 INDIAN J. MAR. SCI., VOL. 47, NO. 05, MAY 2018

Table.1 — Checklist and distribution of sea pens in Indian waters (Contd.) Family-Kophobelemnonidae Gray, 1860 Genus-Kophobelemnon Asbjørnsen, 1856 7 24. Lituaria hicksoni Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Odisha coast 25. Lituaria phalloides (Pallas, 1766) Madras Museum specimen3; Andaman Islands7 Genus-Veretillum Cuvier, 179824 26. Veretillum australis Gray, 1870 Andaman Islands7 Family-Virgulariidae Verrill, 1868 Genus- Virgularia Lamarck, 1816 27. Virgularia elegans (Gray, 1870) Digha, West Bengal14, 15; Odisha caost7 28. Virgularia fusca Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Andaman Islands7 29. Virgularia gustaviana (Herklots, 1863) Andaman Islands21 30. Virgularia juncea (Pallas, 1766) Andaman Islands 7, 23, Off West Bengal coast (Present paper) 31. Virgularia mirabilis (Müller, 1776) Andaman Islands21 32. Virgularia ornata Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Andaman Islands7 33. Virgularia rumphii Kölliker, 1870 Gulf of Cutch8; South West of Bayt Island9 Genus- Scytalium Herklots, 1858 34. Scytalium martensii var. magniflora Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Andaman Islands7 Family - Halipteridae Williams, 1995 Genus- Halipteris Kölliker, 1880 35. Halipteris willemoesi Kölliker, 1870 Andaman Islands6 Family- Pennatulidae Ehrenberg, 1834 Genus- Pennatula Linnaeus, 1758 36. Pennatula indica Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Off Kerala coast6 (08° 28' 15"N and 76° 07' E), Arabian Sea6 (07° 40'N and 70° 00' E) 37. Pennatula veneris Thomson & Henderson, 1906 N-W of Calicut6 38. Pennatula splendens Thomson & Henderson, 1906 11° 49' 30"N and 92° 55' E (Andaman Islands)6 39. Pennatula pendula Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Andaman Islands6 Genus- Pteroeides Herklots, 1858 40. Pteroeides triradiata Thomson & Henderson, 1906 Off Kerala coast6 (10°08´43ʺN and 75° 33' 30"E) 41. Pteroeides andamanese Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Andaman Islands7 42. Pteroeides crassum Kölliker, Andaman Islands7 43. Pteroeides esperi Herklots, 1858 Hugli Delta & River, Sandheads (West Bengal)7; Digha, West Bengal15; Andaman Islands21; Off West Bengal coast (Present paper). 44. Pteroeides esperi var. armatum Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Andaman Islands7 45. Pteroeides hymenocaulon Bleeker, 1859 Nicobar Islands7 46. Pteroeides ilicifolium Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Off Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu)7 47. Pteroeides intermedium Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Andaman Islands7 48. Pteroeides lacazii var. spinosum Kölliker, 1880 Andaman Islands7 49. Pteroeides mac-andrewi Kölliker, 1880 Andaman Islands7 50. Pteroeides nigrum Kölliker, 1880 Ganjam Coast (Odisha)7 51. Pteroeides punctatum Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Palk Strait7 52. Pteroeides robostum Thomson & Simpson, 1909 Andaman Islands7 Family- Protoptilidae Kölliker, 1872 Genus- Distichoptilum Verrill, 1872 53. Distichoptilum gracile Verrill, 1882 Off Kanyakumari coast6 (7° 34' 30" N and 76° 08' 23"E ) diversity is very high (42 species) in the east coast Sea is the richest region among Indian waters in sea (including Bay of Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar pen diversity. Islands) as compared to the very low species count The species identity of past five records (with (13 species) of the west coast (including Arabian Sea generic level identification) could not be verified and Lakshadweep Islands). Among the region of east during the present study, thus eliminated from the coast maximum species (about 29) have been reported checklist. Those additional unverified taxa are: from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Thus Andaman Umbellula sp. (Umbellulidae) from Off Kerala coast6 TUDU et al.: A CHECKLIST OF INDIAN SEA PEN 1017

(09° 34' 57" N and 75° 36' 30"E), Cavernularia sp. Mr. James Hornell in 1904-5, In: Hornell, J. (Ed), Report (Veretillidae) from Subarnarekha estuary of Odisha16, to the Government of Baroda on the Marine zoology of Okhamandal in Kattiawar 1909 pp. 125-135, pl.1. Virgularia sp. (Virgulariidae) from Subarnarekha 16 20 10 Hornell, J. Some commensals of Indian Alcyonarians and estuary, Odisha and Digha of West Bengal , crabs. J. Bom. Nat. His. Soc. 28(4) (1922): 926-936. Pennatula sp. (Pennatulidae) from West Coast13 and 11 Graveley, F H., The littoral fauna of Krusadai Island in the Leptotilum sp. (Protoptilidae) from Bay of Bengal5. Gulf of Manaar. Bulletin of Madras Government Museum, On the other hand, one previous species records have 1(1) (1927), 25–30. 12 Gravely, F.H. Shells and other animals remains found on been included in the checklist, whose validity is the Madras beach, I: Groups other than snails, etc. (Mollusca, doubtful and needs further investigation i.e. Gastropoda), Madras Government Museum Bulletin, Stachyptilum maculatum Thomson and Henderson, N.S. Natural History Section 5(1) (1941): 1-112. 1906 (Funuculinidae) reported from Off Gujarat 13 Sankolli, K.N. & Neelakantan, B. Animal associations along 6 west coast of India, 2: A porcellanid crab (Decapoda, coast (21° 25' N and 68° 02' 30"E). Anomura) on the coelenterate, Pennatula sp. Rec. Zool. Sur.

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