V. N. Sanjeevan

Ophiodaphne scripta (Ophiuroidea: Amphiuridae), a brittle star exhibiting sexual dimorphism and epibiosis: first record from India, with notes on adaptations, systematics and distribution

Ophiodaphne scripta (Koehler, 1904) is an amphiurid brittle star exhibiting an unusual form of conspicuous sexual dimorphism and epibiosis. The males are much smaller and exist as epibionts on the larger female. These male–female pairs, attached mouth-to-mouth, are in turn epibionts on cake urchins such as Echinodiscus auritus Leske, 1778, attaching themselves via the aboral side of the female. In this paper, Ophiodaphne scripta (Koehler, 1904) is reported from off the southern Indian peninsula for the first time, extending the range of this species eastwards. The distribution of this species is discussed in conjunction with that of the only other species in this genus, Ophiodaphne formata (Koehler, 1905), which also exhibits similar sexual dimorphism and epibiotic behavior. A detailed description of the specimens from India is provided, along with adaptations to their peculiar lifestyle. In addition, a brief historical review of the systematics of the genus Ophiodaphne Koehler, 1930 is presented, pointing out some discrepancies which persist, despite numerous revisions.

Taxonomic clarification and re-description of two deep-sea roughies of genus Hoplostethus from the Indian Ocean

Two deep-sea roughies, Hoplostethus (Leiogaster) rubellopterus Kotlyar, 1980 and H. (L.) melanopus (Weber, 1913), are re-described based on several specimens collected from the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. Some notes on the taxonomic status of these two species are also included, and their distributional ranges are updated. Hoplostethus (L.) rubellopterus is a commonly occurring species in the deep-sea catches from the upper continental slope (160–800xa0m) of this region, which is often misidentified and reported as H. mediterraneus Cuvier, 1829. Previous reports of H. mediterraneus from Indian waters were found to be misidentifications, and should be referred to H. (L.) rubellopterus. Hoplostethus (L.) melanopus is found to be distributed in much deeper waters at bathyal depths (>900xa0m) of the Arabian Sea and Andaman Sea.

An updated checklist of echinoderms of the southeastern Arabian Sea

The southeastern Arabian Sea (SEAS) is a distinct ecosystem within the northern Indian Ocean, with unique physical, chemical and biological attributes. This paper provides comprehensive documentation on echinoderm diversity in the SEAS at depths of 20 to 1500 m, based on systematic surveys of over 300 sites. A total of 76 species were recorded in the surveys, which included one new species, seven new records for Indian waters and 39 species previously known from nearby areas and recorded for the first time from SEAS. With the addition of the new records from the present study to the 133 species previously reported from the SEAS, the species richness of echinoderms in the SEAS stands at 180 species. Updated checklists of echinoderms in the SEAS are provided.

First record of deep-sea gigantic pycnogonid Colossendeis colossea Wilson, 1881 from the Western Indian Ocean

The gigantic pycnogonid, Colossendeis colossea Wilson, 1881 is reported for the first time in the Western Indian Ocean. Two male specimens of this species were collected from a bottom trawl operated at bathyal depths (>1000xa0m) off the Southwest coast of India.

New record of the stalked crinoid Saracrinus angulatus (Echinodermata: Crinoidea: Isocrinida) from Andaman Sea, Northern Indian Ocean

This is the first record of the stalked crinoid Saracrinus angulatus (Carpenter, 1884), from the Andaman Sea, Northern Indian Ocean. The species is described based on a single specimen collected from a depth of 601–643xa0m by the Fishery Oceanographic Research Vessel Sagar Sampada (FORV SS). A general view of the specimen, with descriptions of morphological features, size parameters, arm branching and ossicle articulations, are provided. Stalk ossicles were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

A new record of Neobythites multistriatus Nielsen & Quéro, 1991 (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae) from the Andaman Sea, North Indian Ocean

The occurrence of Neobythites multistriatus Nielsen & Quéro, 1991 which hitherto has not been recorded from the Andaman Sea is reported here. Three specimens measuring 175xa0mm, 153xa0mm and 136xa0mm (total length) were collected from Andaman Sea (13°10′903″N, 93°08′162″E) from a depth range of 320–410xa0m. The results of the comparison of meristic and morphometric characters with the holotype and paratypes of the species are presented. N. multistriatus is closely related to N. fasciatus in terms of two opercular spines and several vertical bars on the body ending as ocelli or dark blotches on the dorsal and anal fins, versus posterior to the line. The occurrence of this little-known benthopelagic fish in Andaman waters for the first time further adds to and strengthens the rich deep-sea ichthyofaunal biodiversity of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India, which is hitherto not fully known.

Occurrence of a rare gigantic sized deep-sea cod Lepidion inosimae (Günther, 1887) in the Northwestern Indian Ocean

A gigantic sized (total length 800xa0mm) specimen of Lepidion inosimae (Günther, 1887) was collected inxa0a bottom trawl operated at bathyal depth (1330–1360xa0m) off the Southwest coast of India. The present study discloses the first distribution record of this very rarely reported deep-sea cod from the Northwestern Indian Ocean, with its morphometric and meristic features.

Three new records of rare deep-sea Anglerfishes (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) from the Northern Indian Ocean

Three species of deep water angler fishes; Diceratias trilobus (Ceratioidei: Diceratiidae), Bufoceratias shaoi (Ceratioidei: Diceratiidae), and Ceratias uranoscopus (Ceratioidei: Ceratiidae) are presented here as new findings from Northern Indian Ocean. Specimens of diceratiids are rare, the present specimen of B. shaoi represents the fifth known specimen in the world, and similarly C. uranoscopus is the second known record from the Indian Ocean. The knowledge on the distribution and biology of Ceratioid fishes is still very poorly known from the Indian Ocean. Along with the diagnostic characters, previous distributional records from the Indian Ocean are also provided.

First record of the batfish, Halieutopsis stellifera (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae) from the eastern Indian Ocean

As currently understood, the batfish genus Halieutopsis (Garman, 1899) contains ten species (Ho et al., 2008a; Froese & Pauly, 2012) and is distributed from the Indian Ocean to the eastern Pacific Ocean in tropical and subtropical seas (Bradbury, 1988). The genus Halieutopsis was reviewed by Bradbury (1988) with the description of four new species. The generic characters are as follows: head moderately to greatly depressed, no teeth on palate, two or more lateral line scales with neuromasts on either side of anus, the illicial bone relatively simple and spine like; its base not perforated by foramina (Garman, 1899; Bradbury, 1988); gills two. The genus is shown to have the greatest bathymetric range (410–1372 m) of any ogcocephalid, from upper slope to abyssal depths (Bradbury, 1988). The holotype of Halieutopsis stellifera (Smith & Radcliffe, in Radcliffe, 1912) was reported from the Flores Sea off the coast of Celebes, at a depth of 1266 m. Halieutopsis stellifera is distributed from the northern Celebes to the Philippine archipelago and Okinawa Trough (Bradbury, 1988). To date no specimens have been reported from the eastern IndianOcean.