Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

A new record of sea star, Nardoa frianti Koehler, 1910 (Echinodermata: Asteroidea: Ophidiasteridae) from the Arabian Sea, Western Indian Ocean

Volume 60 Issue 2

B. Mohammed Nowshad, K. K. Idrees Babu, Usha V. Parameswaran and S. Sureshkumar*

10.6024/jmbai.2018.60.2.2056-14

Abstract

Nardoa frianti Koehler, 1910 is reported for the first time from the Arabian Sea, Western Indian Ocean, from a depth of 15 m along the east coast of Kavaratti Island during November 2017. Nardoa frianti, initially described from the Andaman Sea, Eastern Indian Ocean and the species has subsequently been recorded up to North Pacific Ocean. The present record from the Arabian Sea extends the distribution of this species westwards towards the western Indian Ocean. The paper also includes a checklist of all species of sea stars reported from the Lakshadweep islands, and those archived in the pioneering reference collection for the region- the northernmost segment of Chagos-Maldives-Laccadives oceanic ridge. 

Keywords

Nardoa frianti, Arabian Sea, starfish, coral reef, Chagos- Laccadive Oceanic Ridge

Date : 30-01-2019