Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Biochemical composition of zooplankton from the Andaman Sea.

Volume 43 Issue 1&2

I. Nageswara Rao and G. Kripanidhi

Abstract

Zooplankton biomass, proximate composition, biochemical constituents and calorific values have men determines from the mixed zooplankton collected from the nearshore and offshore waters around Andaman and Nicobar Islands during northeast monsoon 1996. Biomass varied from 8.20 to : .OO mJ (x=14.95*6.60) and total zooplankton population ranged from 22950 to 94250 no.100 m^-3 (x=44465*17778). Copepods contributed maximum at all stations (69.40 - 86.96%). Of the principal biochemical constituents, protein formed the major component. Overall mean values reckoned as percentage of dry weight as 44.84% protein, 19.10% livid. 4.98% carbohydrate,38.42% organic carbon and 4.56 k.ca1.g-' calorific value. Higher values were these constituents observed in the nearshore and offshore stations of Nicobar region compared to Andaman region. Significant positive correlations (P<0.01) observed between these constituents indicate to certain extent act as a metabolic reserve in the zooplankton. The results revealed that the zooplankton of the Andaman Sea do not have extensive lipid and carbohydrate storage, suggesting that the protein, in addition to lipid and carbohydrate serve as metabolic reserve. The calorific values are high due to the dominance of copepods in the total zooplankton.

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Date : 30-12-2001