Andaman Islands Research Articles

Plastome characterization of Musa indandamanensis, an endemic banana in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

Plastome characterization of Musa indandamanensis, an endemic banana in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

First record of an Anthropocene marker plastiglomerate in Andaman Island, India

One of the most significant environmental issues confronting our world is plastic trash, which is of particular concern to the marine environment. The sedimentary record of the planet may likely one day contain a horizon of plastic that can be potentially identified as an Anthropocene marker. Here we report the presence of ‘plastiglomerate’ from coastal habitats located in the Aves Island, Andaman Sea, India. This novel form of plastic pollution forms with the incineration of plastic litter in the environment and then mixing of organic/inorganic composite materials in the molten plastic matrix. The plastic pollutants were collected from the Aves Island beach during marine litter surveys. Micro-Raman (μ-Raman) spectroscopy was used to evaluate and confirm all putative plastic forms. Plastiglomerates were made of a polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix with inclusions of rock and sand. Therefore, our research offers new insight into the intricate process of plastiglomerates formation.

Chirostyloid and galatheoid squat lobsters (Decapoda: Anomura) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, with three new species

ABSTRACT The squat lobster fauna of the Andaman and Nicobar waters, India is known to be represented by more than 40 species from 19 genera and six families. Seven species, including three new to science, collected from six dedicated surveys of the Fishery Oceanographic Research Vessel Sagar Sampada during 2011–2019 are described. Gastroptychus valdiviae Balss, 1913 is redescribed based on the syntype and the newly collected material. Grimothea krishaha sp. nov. and an unidentified species provisionally assigned to Grimothea Leach, 1820 are reported. These two species of Grimothea differ from known congeners in the spination on the carapace, pleon, antennule, antenna and third maxilliped. Examination of the syntype and newly collected specimen revealed that Munida vigiliarum Alcock, 1901 should be transferred to Leptonida Macpherson and Baba in Machordom et al., 2022. Leptonida vigiliarum comb. nov. is here redescribed. Trapezionida aequispina sp. nov. differs from related species in the spination on the carapace, and in the shape and relative lengths of the second to fourth pereopod dactyli. Trapezionida bharuchai sp. nov. differs from related species in the carapace morphology, the presence of a mesial spine on the antennal peduncle second article, and the armature on pereopods. Leiogalathea sp. does not resemble known congeners in morphological aspects, but because of the poor condition of the unique specimen presently available for study, formal description is deferred in the hope that additional material will be collected. With this report, the number of species reported from the region increases to 47. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A82CE9B3-BF67-4282-97DF-20D37CF02464

A review of the genus Bronchocela Kaup, 1827 (Reptilia: Agamidae) in the Nicobar Archipelago with the description of two new species

Species of the agamid genus Bronchocela Kaup, 1827 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are reassessed based on newly collected specimens from different parts of the Nicobar Archipelago. An assessment based on morphology and distribution of the identified groups reveal two new, unnamed populations, one allied to B. cristatella and the other allied to B. danieli. These two populations are described as new species, and Bronchocela cristatella is redescribed based on Sundaic specimens. The remaining species, B. danieli and B. rubrigularis are redescribed. Distributions of all of these four species are mapped and recommendations on their conservation status are suggested.

Impact of Tourism on Andaman Islands: An Explorative Study to Understand the Problems Faced By Residents

The Andaman Islands were the site of several of the study's operations. These places mostly consisted of those that tourists frequented and where locals who had experience with or knowledge of tourism lived. Even though the islands' tourist industry is still in its early stages of growth, the development might yet have a negative impact on the nature and traditional culture of the islands. The research attempts to present a solution to the issues that the local populace and tourists encounter in the Andaman Islands. Additionally, the study offers sufficient solutions to the issues experienced by the stakeholders. The study's findings will aid decision-makers in comprehending the issues facing these two significant tourist industry stakeholders.

Assessment of water demand and potential water sources to face future water scarcity of hilly regions

Abstract In this work, an attempt is made to predict the future water demand of a hilly region. The study area is selected based on the population and the water demand. For this work, Namunaghar and Wandoor Panchayats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are selected. Initially, preliminary studies such as the current population and future growth and their water demand were analyzed. Also, using a geographical information system (GIS), the study area is located to identify the surface and groundwater sources. From the GIS data, a detailed map is prepared to conduct the physical verification and collect the water quality measurement. From the population forecast, it was identified that 435,000 and 480,300 l of water are required to meet the water demand in the year 2031 Namunaghar and Wander Panchayat, respectively. It also assessed the GIS data and found out potential water sources of 157 (67 wells, 58 ponds, and other minor sources) and 485 (215 wells, 229 ponds, and other minor sources) at Namunaghar and Wandoor Panchayats, respectively. Finally, all the potential water sources were checked for quality for drinking purposes.

A STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORTS TO SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH ANDAMAN ISLANDS

This research paper examines the external institutional supports available to micro and small businesses in the Andaman Islands. This study used 344 respondents from micro and small-sized enterprises from primary sources of data collected in the South Andaman Islands. The analysis was done using SPSS software through the Chi-Square test to test for an association. The result of the study indicated that the government and other institutions are playing a significant role in the MSEs, despite the prevailing economic condition and other factors. There is a significant association between the source of finance and the type of enterprise. Based on the findings, it is concluded that the financial, marketing, raw material and training institutes that support the manufacturing and service sectors are important to the development of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In this regard, the administration of the islands should adopt appropriate policies and measures based on the perspective of small businesses in the islands' regions.

Blastopirellula sediminis sp. nov. a new member of Pirellulaceae isolated from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Two cream-coloured strains (JC732T, JC733) of Gram-stain negative, mesophilic, catalase and oxidase positive, aerobic bacteria which divide by budding, form crateriform structures, and cell aggregates were isolated from marine habitats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Both strains had genome size of 7.1Mb and G + C content of 58.9%. Both strains showed highest 16S rRNA gene-based similarity with Blastopirellula retiformator Enr8T (98.7%). Strains JC732T and JC733 shared 100% identity of 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences. The coherence of both strains with the genus Blastopirellula was supported by the 16S rRNA gene based and the phylogenomic trees. Further, the chemo-taxonomic characters and the genome relatedness indices [ANI (82.4%), AAI (80.4%) and dDDH (25.2%)] also support the delineation at the species level. Both strains have the capability to degrade chitin and genome analysis shows the ability to fix N2. Based on the phylogenetic, phylogenomic, comparative genomic, morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics, strain JC732T is described as a new species of the genus Blastopirellula for which the name Blastopirellula sediminis sp. nov. is proposed, with strain JC733 as an additional strain.

Flaxseed oil modulates testicular biometrics, hormone, libido, antioxidant and semen profiles in endangered Teressa goat of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Teressa goat is a unique goat breed in Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) of India. Effects of Flaxseed oil (FSO) supplementation in body weight (BW), scrotal circumference (SC), testicular volume (TV) and testicular weight (TW), endocrinological profiles, sex behavioural profiles (SBPs), oxidative stress markers and semen production and its quality profiles in rainy and dry summer season were studied in Teressa goat. Male goats (n=12) of 3-4 years old were equally divided into control and treated groups. Treated animals received 25mL FSO per day. Oral drenching of FSO was done in the morning before feeding the concentrate ration. Body weight, scrotal circumference, TV and TW were measured in bucks of FSO treated and untreated during rainy and dry summer seasons. Blood follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), cortisol and prolactin, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in bucks of FSO treated and untreated during rainy and dry summer seasons. Libido score (LS), mating ability score (MAS) and sex behavioural score (SBS) were estimated at time of semen collection in bucks of FSO treated and untreated during rainy and dry summer seasons. Semen samples (n=100; 50 semen samples from each season; each 25 semen samples from control and treatment groups per season) were collected and analysed for semen quality profiles. One-way ANOVA (control rainy, control dry, treated rainy and treated dry) revealed that BW, SC, TV and TW, FSH, LH, testosterone, TSH, T3 and T4 were higher (P<0.05) and cortisol and prolactin were lower (P<0.05) in FSO treated bucks of rainy season followed by untreated bucks of rainy season, FSO treated bucks of dry summer season and were lower (P<0.05) in untreated bucks of dry summer season. Similarly, TAC, CAT, SOD and GSH, LS, MAS and SBS, and volume, pH, sperm concentration, mass activity, total motility (TM), viability, acrosomal integrity (AcI), plasma membrane integrity (PMI) and nuclear integrity (NI) were higher (P<0.05) and MDA and TSA were lower (P<0.05) in FSO treated bucks of rainy season followed by FSO treated bucks of dry summer season, untreated bucks of rainy season and were lower (P<0.05) in untreated bucks of dry summer season. The results of the present study indicated that the breeding bucks suffered physiological stress (higher cortisol), oxidative stress (higher MDA and deficiency of antioxidants), hormonal imbalance (higher prolactin and cortisol and deficiency of gonadotropins, gonadal hormone and thyroid hormones) and infertility due to poor libido and poor semen production and its quality profiles during dry summer season. Thus, dry summer was more stressful season compared to rainy season for the goat bucks. FSO supplementation mitigated these stresses and improved the scrotal and testicular biometrics, libido, antioxidants, hormones and semen quality profiles in Teressa goat bucks. The current study concluded that FSO effectively improved the hormones, libido, antioxidant profiles, and scrotal and testicular biometrics with cascading beneficial effects on semen quality profiles in Teressa goat bucks under humid tropical island ecosystem of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Hepatitis in India: challenges, efforts, and recommendations

Hepatitis in India: challenges, efforts, and recommendations

Harnessing intra-varietal variation for agro-morphological and nutritional traits in a popular rice landrace for sustainable food security in tropical islands.

Rice crop meets the calorie and nutritional requirements of a larger segment of the global population. Here, we report the occurrence of intra-varietal variation in a popular rice landrace C14-8 traditionally grown under the geographical isolation of the Andaman Islands. Based on grain husk color, four groups were formed, wherein the extent of intra-varietal variation was studied by employing 22 agro-morphological and biochemical traits. Among the traits studied, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents and grain yield exhibited a wider spectrum of variability due to more coefficients of variation (>25%). The first five principal components (PCs) of principal components analysis explained a significant proportion of the variation (91%) and the first two PCs explained 63.3% of the total variation, with PC1 and PC2 explaining 35.44 and 27.91%, respectively. A total of 50 highly variable SSR (HvSSR) markers spanning over 12 chromosomes produced 314 alleles, which ranged from 1 to 15 alleles per marker, with an average of 6.28. Of the 314 alleles, 64 alleles were found to be rare among the C14-8 selections. While 62% of HvSSR markers exhibited polymorphism among the C14-8 population, chromosomes 2, 7, 9, and 11 harbored the most polymorphic loci. The group clustering of the selections through HvSSR markers conformed to the grouping based on grain husk coloration. Our studies on the existence and pertinence of intra-varietal variations are expected to be of significance in the realms of evolutionary biology and sustainable food and nutritional security under the changing climate.

First report of free-living, solitary zoanthid from Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Studies on zoantharians (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Zoantharia) from Indian waters are exceptionally sparse. Most studies were carried out on the colonial inter-tidal species whereas exploration from shallow coastal waters is yet to be carried out thoroughly. The present study reports the first record of one of the four species of free-living and solitary genus Sphenopus Steenstrup, 1856; Sphenopus marsupialis (Gmelin, 1791) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The specimens were collected from the sandy bottom of Point Island at depths of 25 to 38 m. Detailed morphological features along with distributional ranges are reported here.

Diabetic retinopathy among diabetic patients seen at tertiary care centre in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Diabetic retinopathy among diabetic patients seen at tertiary care centre in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Tropical cyclone risk assessment of Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India by using numerical modelling and geospatial techniques

Tropical cyclone risk assessment of Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India by using numerical modelling and geospatial techniques

Redescription of Acanthochitona mahensis Winckworth, 1927 (Polyplacophora, Acanthochitonidae) from Indian Coasts

A redescription of the chiton species Acanthochitona mahensis collected from the type locality is provided and its holotype is studied. This species has been previously recorded from the coasts of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Eritrea, and Jordan. It is compared with similar species (Acanthochitona biformis, A. jugotenuis, A. intermedia, A. leopoldi, A. penicillata and A. woodwardi). In India, the species has been reported from the mainland and Andaman Islands. New distributional records from the coast of India are also provided.

Morphological and molecular systematics of swimming crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunidae) from India collected on-board the FORV Sagar Sampada (cruise no. 378, 385 and 392), with notes on biogeography of the Indian portunid fauna.

Morphological and molecular characters of swimming crabs (Family Portunidae Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1815) collected during one cruise each of the Fishery Oceanographic Research Vessel Sagar Sampada in the northeastern Arabian Sea (97–110 m depth), southwestern Bay of Bengal (56 m), and southeastern Bay of Bengal (56 m) and western Andaman Sea (53 m) were studied. They are referred to 17 species representing 4 subfamilies, 8 genera and 2 subgenera. Cycloachelous levigatus Koch, 2021, Monomia rubromarginata (Lanchester, 1900), Thalamita malaccensis Gordon, 1938 are first records from Indian waters. The study also reveals variations in the pleonal and genital morphology of Monomia argentata (A Milne Edwards, 1861) form B (sensu Stephenson and Rees, 1967a). Mitochondrial Cytochrome oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA gene sequences of 14 and 16 species, respectively revealed a monophyletic subfamily Lupocyclinae Alcock, 1899, and polyphyletic subfamilies Portuninae Rafinesque, 1815 and Thalamitinae Paulson, 1875. Analysis of the biogeographic distribution patterns of Indian portunids revealed a total of 104 species representing 22 genera, thereby suggesting mixed diversity in different ecological regions. The highest number of 72 species and 2 subspecies were recorded from the West and South Indian Shelf Province followed by Andaman Province (69 species), Bay of Bengal Province (54 species) and Central Indian Ocean Islands Province (26 species). Among the individual marine ecoregions, Andaman and Nicobar Islands recorded the highest number of species (69 species), followed by South India (57), Eastern India (50), Western India (47), Northern Bay of Bengal (32) and Maldives (26).

Validation of Myristica pushpangadaniana (Myristicaceae)

Myristica Gronovius (1755: 141) was established in Flora orientalis and comprises about 172 species, distributed from tropical Asia to western Pacific (POWO 2023). In India, Myristica has seven taxa, among them six endemics. Of these, M. andamanica Hooker (1886: 103) is found only in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, M. beddomei King (1891: 291) in Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and M. beddomei King (1891: 291) subsp. sphaerocarpa W.J.deWilde (1997: 152) and M. magnifica Beddome (1872: 268), M. malabarica Lamarck (1791: 162) and M. trobogarii Govind &amp; Dan (2020: 206) are exclusively found only in the Western Ghats.

Amemboa Esaki (Hemiptera: Gerromorpha: Gerridae) of India, with descriptions of two new species and establishment of species groups of world species

Two new species of Gerridae, Amemboa latoae Jehamalar & Dash, new species and A. zetteli Jehamalar & Dash, new species, are described from India. Amemboa latoae is described from Meghalaya and can be recognised by the presence of the two setal tufts on the flexor region of the male fore femur and the slightly dilated midlateral region of the main part of the proctiger. Amemboa zetteli Jehamalar & Dash, new species, is described from Andaman Island and can be identified by the presence of the three setal tufts on the flexor region of the male fore femur; the rhombus-shaped main part of the proctiger of the male and the shape of the posterior region of the pygophore. Eleven species groups of Amemboa are also recognized in the present paper.

The taxonomy of Indian gorgonians: an assessment of the descriptive records of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) recorded as occurring in the territorial waters of India, along with neighbouring regions and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the highlighting of perceived unethical practice

The descriptive taxonomic records of a total of 226 gorgonian species (Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) from Indian seas and neighbouring areas were surveyed and critically reviewed with the main aim of providing a more reliable checklist. The published accounts comprise: species originally described from within the region: subsequent descriptive records of the taxa originally described from within the region; and subsequent descriptive records of species originally described from outside of the region. The reviews include an attempt to assess the validity of all subsequent descriptive records, although in numerous cases the species have been assessed as unrecognisable from their type descriptions. Numerous new binomial combinations, some tentative, have been proposed. The assessment of the validity of a species record is expressed as an "Opinion" with supporting justification. Of the 226 species, there are 111 that were originally described from locations outside of Indian waters and have subsequently been described and recorded as occurring in the region. Of these, there are 9 species where we were unable to decide if the records are valid or not, 94 were assessed as invalid, 5 as possibly valid and 3 were considered valid. The survey highlights four major problems regarding the reliability of some more recently published taxonomic records for the region: the use of 'predatory journals'; plagiarism; the use of manipulated imagery in more than one description; and taxonomic decision apparently based on expediency.

Energy, economic and environmental (3E) evaluation of a hybrid wind/biodiesel generator/tidal energy system using different energy storage devices for sustainable power supply to an Indian archipelago

This paper thoroughly analyses energy, economic and environmental (3E) performance of using different battery (BAT) energy storage system like lead acid battery (LAB), lithium-ion battery (LIB), vanadium redox flow (VRF) battery and mechanical energy storage (MES) like flywheel and pumped hydro storage (PHS) using three different dispatch strategies (DS) such as cycle charging (CC), load following (LF) and generator order (GO), respectively. Andaman and Nicobar(A&N) Island of India have no main grid. Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) Pro software is used to study feasibility of power generation using various sources. Study incorporating tidal plant with wind turbine and Bio-DG in micro grid is considered first time for an Indian scenario as per authors’ knowledge with application of various DS and energy storage technologies. The superiority of LIB over LAB and MES is proved in this study. Wind/Bio-DG /tidal/LIB have relatively least net present cost(NPC), cost of energy (COE) of $1.30M and $0.263, respectively among five energy storage devices using CC dispatch strategy compared to other two strategies. It is investigated that LIB uses only 250 units of batteries, which is 46% less than total utilized LAB units for catering same load. In terms of expected lifespan, energy losses, energy production and state of charge (SOC), performance of LIB are superior to LAB. SWOT and sensitivity analysis have been performed considering fuel price and wind speed. Different techno economic indicators like cost summary, cash flow, fuel summary, economics, electrical parameters, renewable fraction (RF), return of investment (ROI), lowest simple payback period, internal rate of return (IRR), pollutant emission are considered and compared with each other for LAB and LIB combinations.