On population structure and breeding biology of burrowing crab Dotilla blanfordi Alcock, 1900.

Background: The present study investigated the population structure and breeding biology of the burrowing brachyuran crab species Dotilla blanfordi Alcock, 1900, which is commonly found on the sandy beach of Bhavnagar, located on the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat coast, India. Methods: Monthly sampling was conducted from February 2021 to January 2022 at the time of low tide using three line transects perpendicular to the water line, intercepted by a quadrate (0.25 m2) each at three different levels of the middle intertidal region: 20 m, 70 m, and 120 m. The quadrate area was excavated up to 30 cm and sieved for specimen collection. The collected specimens were categorised into different sexes viz., male, non-ovigerous female, or ovigerous female. For the fecundity study of D. blanfordi, the carapace width (mm) as a measure of size as well as their wet weight (g), size, number, and mass of their eggs were also recorded. Results: The study revealed sexual dimorphism among the population, with females having significantly smaller sizes as compared to males. The overall population was skewed towards females, with a bimodal distribution of males and females. The occurrence of ovigerous females throughout the year suggests that the population breeds incessantly throughout the year, with the highest occurrence in August and September. A positive correlation was observed between the morphology of crabs (carapace width and wet body weight) and the size, number, and mass of eggs.

Population structure and fecundity of the Xanthid crab Leptodius exaratus (H. Milne Edwards, 1834) on the rocky shore of Gujarat state, India.

Background: The population structure and breeding biology of the Xanthid crab, Leptodius exaratus (H. Milne Edwards, 1834), on the rocky intertidal region of Shivrajpur in Saurashtra coast, Gujarat state, were examined. Method: From March 2021 to February 2022, monthly sampling was conducted during low tide using catch per unit effort in the 500 m2 area. The sampled specimens were categorised into male, non-ovigerous female or ovigerous female. In order to estimate fecundity, the morphology of the crab specimens (carapace width and body weight) as well as the size of eggs, number of eggs and weight of egg mass were recorded. Results: A total of 1,215 individuals were sampled of which 558 individuals were males and 657 individuals were females. The size (carapace width) of males ranges from 5.15 to 29.98 mm, while females ranges from 5.26 to 28.63 mm which shows that the average size of male and female individuals did not differ significantly. The overall as well as monthly sex ratio was skewed towards males with a bimodal distribution while unimodal in females. The population breeds year-round, which was indicated by the occurrence of ovigerous females throughout the year. However, the maximum percentage occurrence of ovigerous females was observed from December to April which indicates the peak breeding season. The size of eggs, number of eggs and weight of egg mass were shown to positively correlate with the morphology of ovigerous females (carapace width and wet weight).

A new species of Perinereis Kinberg, 1865 (Annelida: Nereididae) and invalidation of two congeners from Western India.

A new Perinereis Group 2 species is described from the hard clayey mudflats of Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat, India. Perinereis khambhatiensis sp. n. is characterized by having two bar-shaped paragnaths on area VI of proboscis and dorsal ligules not greatly expanded in posterior parapodia. The species can mainly be distinguished from the morphologically similar species P. aibuhitensis (Grube, 1878), P. singaporiensis (Grube, 1878), and P. vancaurica (Ehlers, 1868) by the ridge pattern of areas VI-V-VI, the type of bars on area VI, and the number and distribution of paragnaths chiefly on areas III, IV, and VIIVIII. Two Indian Perinereis varieties originally described from near Gujarat, P. vancaurica var. indica (Bhatt & Bal, 1966) and P. nuntia var. bombayensis (Bhatt & Bal, 1966) are regarded as invalid. Comments on the diagnostic features of species belonging to Perinereis Group 2 are provided and included in a comparative synoptic table to distinguish species. An identification key of species of Perinereis in the aibuhitensis group is also provided.

An annotated checklist of anomuran species (Crustacea: Decapoda) of India.

An annotated checklist of the anomuran crustaceans recorded from Indian waters is compiled from available published literature. A total of 231 species belonging to 58 genera, 15 families and five superfamilies are listed. The highest number of species was seen in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Ecoregion (114 species, 37 genera, 14 families), followed by the South India Ecoregion (111 species, 41 genera, 14 families), West India Ecoregion (93 species, 36 genera, 14 families), Eastern India Ecoregion (76 species, 29 genera, 12 families), Maldives Ecoregion (34 species, 15 genera, 10 families) and Northern Bay of Bengal Ecoregion (22 species, nine genera, five families). Notes on the questionable identifications and records of some anomuran crabs are also provided.

On the identities of Nepinnotheres vicajii (Chhapgar, 1957) and Arcotheres casta (Antony amp; Kuttyamma, 1971) from western India: conspecificity and taxonomy (Decapoda, Brachyura, Pinnotheridae).

The identity of Nepinnotheres vicajii (Chhapgar, 1957) (described as Pinnotheres vicajii) (Pinnotheridae), a pea crab associated with the bivalve Marcia recens (Holten, 1802), is clarified. On the basis of re-diagnosis of holotype male and freshly collected female specimens from its type locality, P. vicajii is now assigned to Arcotheres Manning, 1993. A second poorly known species from India, Arcotheres casta (Antony Kuttyamma, 1971), originally collected from Meretrix casta (Gmelin, 1791) is also synonymized with A. vicajii.

Redescription of Arcotheres pernicola (Bürger, 1895) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) from the oyster Magallana gryphoides (Schlotheim, 1820) in India.

The identity of Arcotheres pernicola (Bürger, 1895) (Pinnotheridae), a pea crab supposedly associated with the mussel Perna, has been unclear as the type specimen is in poor condition. Specimens collected from the oyster Magallana gryphoides (Schlotheim, 1820) from Alibaugh, Maharashtra state, India, are here referred to A. pernicola and the species is redescribed and refigured. Its affinities with allied congeners are also discussed.

An annotated checklist of the marine brachyuran crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) of India.

An annotated checklist of the marine brachyuran crabs occurring in India is compiled from published literature and augmented by collections between 2005 and 2015. A total of 910 species belonging to 361 genera and 62 families are herein listed from Indian waters. Specimens representing 130 species were obtained from Gujarat state during 2005 and 2015, of which 23 are new records to Gujarat state and two species are reported for the first time from the west coast of India. The highest number of species were recorded from the Andaman and Nicobar islands (588 species) while the smallest number were from Goa and Karnataka state (82 species). The records indicate that the east coast of India, with 803 species, is more diverse than the west coast, which has 446 species.

Redescription of Arcotheres placunae (Hornell Southwell, 1909) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) from India and Pakistan.

The identity of Arcotheres placunae (Hornell Southwell, 1909) (Pinnotheridae), a pea crab associated with the window pane shell, Placuna placenta, has been confused as the types are lost and the original figures are inaccurate and do not match the description given of the species. In the present study, fresh specimens of the species were collected from the type locality (Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, India), and the species is here redescribed and refigured, and its affinities with similar species is discussed. To stabilize the taxonomy of A. placunae, a neotype is chosen from amongst the fresh material.

A new pea crab species of the genus Arcotheres Manning, 1993 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) from India.

A new species of pinnotherid crab, Arcotheres shahi n. sp., is described on the basis of specimens collected during a crustacean survey along the coastal areas of Pamban fishing harbor in the Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu state, east coast of India. The new species resembles A. pernicola (Bürger, 1895), A. winckworthi (Gordon, 1936) and A. rayi Ahyong Ng, 2007, in having the dactyli of the longer fourth pereopod longer than that of fifth pereopod. Arcotheres shahi n. sp. differs from these three known species in the shape of female carapace, frontal region and chela, setal pattern on the dactyli of the fourth and fifth pereopods and relative length of the ambulatory pereiopods.

Elasmopus sivaprakasami sp. nov., a new species of amphipod (Senticaudata, Maeridae) from Gujarat State, India.

A new species of amphipod, Elasmopus sivaprakasami sp. nov., is described from India. It is found to be conspecific with material described from southern India nearly fifty years previously, but attributed at that time to a species described from Japan.

A new species of the genus Diogenes Dana, 1851 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) from Gujarat, northwestern India.

A new species of diogenid hermit crab, Diogenes chhapgari n. sp., is described on the basis of material collected during the crustacean faunal survey along the coastal areas of the Gujarat State, northwestern India. The new species is referred to the D. edwardsii (De Haan, 1849) species group and appears closest to D. singaporensis Rahayu, 2015. However, D. chhapgari n. sp. is distinguished from this species by the armature on the fourth segment of the antennal peduncle and carpus of the left cheliped.

Impairment of renal structure and function following heterogeneous chemical mixture exposure in rats.

Renal structural and functional alterations following an exposure to a heterogeneous chemical mixture (HCM) of phthalic acid di butyl ester, 1, 2-dichlorobenzene, cadmium chloride and chromium trioxide, administered through oral gavage in low doses (1/100 and 1/1000 of LD50 value of individual chemical) for 60 days, followed by withdrawal till 120 days resulted in significant rise in kidney lipid peroxidation and fall in the activities of enzymatic antioxidants. However, withdrawal of HCM treatment restored most of these altered parameters. Degenerative changes in the kidney included proximal convoluted tubules devoid of brush boarder with cytoplasmic blebbing, dissolution and sloughing of nuclei. Cortical glomeruli were also affected with epithelial disintegration, pyknosis of podocyte nuclei and mesengial cell hyperplasia. The morphological alterations recovered fully in the low dose compared to the high dose treatment group.

Plasticity changes in adult metabolic homeostasis and tissue oxidative stress: neonatal programming by corticosterone and melatonin as deprogrammer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term plasticity changes induced by neonatal corticosterone programming on adult metabolic status and the deprogramming effect of melatonin. METHODS: Male and female Wistar rats were maintained under standard conditions and when mated females delivered pups, neonates of both sexes were separated and equal number of pups was assigned to lactating mothers. Pups treated with saline, corticosterone or a combination of corticosterone and melatonin from PND 2 to PND 14, were maintained until 120 days of age. Various serum and tissue parameters pertaining to glycaemic regulation, dyslipidemia, hepatic and renal distress and oxidative stress were analyzed in adult rats. RESULTS: Neonatal corticosterone exposure induced dyslipidemia, increased fed and fasting glucose levels, insulin resistance, lipid peroxidation, serum levels of insulin, corticosterone and hepatic and renal dysfunction markers and decreased the levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, relatively more in males. Melatonin proved as an effective deprogrammer of corticosterone induced plasticity changes. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal corticosterone exposure induces long lasting effects on adult physiology and metabolism. Concurrent treatment with melatonin effectively deprograms the changes.

Neonatal corticosterone programs for thrifty phenotype adult diabetic manifestations and oxidative stress: countering effect of melatonin as a deprogrammer.

OBJECTIVE: The present study assesses the thrifty phenotype response of neonatal corticosterone programming to a diabetogenic challenge in adult rats and the role of melatonin as a deprogrammer. METHODS: Neonates of both sexes, born of healthy male and female rats maintained under standard conditions of temperature and light, were separated and, equal number of pups was assigned to lactating mothers. Pups treated with either saline or corticosterone or, a combination of corticosterone and melatonin from postnatal day (PND) 2 to PND 14 and, at 120 days of age, six animals from each treatment group were rendered diabetic by alloxanization. Various serum and tissue parameters pertaining to glycaemic regulation, dyslipidemia, hepatic and renal distress and oxidative stress were analysed in adult rats of all groups. RESULTS: The results indicate compromised feed efficiency, hyperglycaemia, hypoinsulinemia, decreased glycogen content, elevated serum and tissue lipids and serum markers of hepatic and renal stress, together with increased lipid peroxidation, and decreased levels of non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants in corticosterone programmed diabetic animals than in the non-programmed diabetic rats. However, treatment with melatonin simultaneously prevented to a significant extent the alterations in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: Melatonin is a potent deprogrammer of neonatal corticosterone programming effects and the adult thrifty phenotype alteration to a diabetogenic challenge.