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New record of Sabellaria miryaensis Parab & Gaikwad, 1990 (Annelida: Sabellariidae) with notes on its associated fauna from the Bay of Bengal, Northern Indian Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2025

Amita Kumari Choudhury Open the ORCID record for Amita Kumari Choudhury [Opens in a new window] ,
Shesdev Patro Open the ORCID record for Shesdev Patro [Opens in a new window] ,
Yessica Chávez-López  and
Balaram Behera
Amita Kumari Choudhury
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Lovely Professional University, Department of Bioengineering and Biosciences Phagwara, Phagwara, Kapurthala, Punjab, India
Shesdev Patro*
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Sciences, Berhampur University, Berhampur, Odisha, India
Yessica Chávez-López
Affiliation:
Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Q. Roo, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Mexico
Balaram Behera
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Sciences, Berhampur University, Berhampur, Odisha, India
*
Corresponding author: Patro Shesdev; Email: shesdevpatro@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Sabellaria miryaensis is capable of growing massive reefs of several meters long in the subtidal area. However, no occurrence of S. miryaensis has been recorded in the Arabian Sea since its original description in 1990. This manuscript presents a new record of S. miryaensis in the Bay of Bengal, confirming its presence there. In addition, details on its ecology, including environmental parameters and the associated benthic biodiversity of S. miryaensis reefs are included. Four 1-m2 quadrat samples were collected from subtidal sabellariid reefs (∼15 m depth) off Gopalpur in March 2024, and associated macrofauna were preserved in 5% formalin for taxonomic analysis. Water parameters (temperature, salinity, and pH) and sediment texture were measured using standard field and laboratory protocols. The reef built by this species supports high macrofaunal and meiofaunal diversity, particularly polychaetes and other invertebrates. Morphological analysis confirms its identity with minor intraspecific variations. The reef also serves as a critical habitat for commercially important fish, underscoring its ecological and economic value. These findings highlight the need for further ecological assessments and conservation of sabellariid reef ecosystems in Indian coastal waters.

Keywords

Bay of Bengaldistributionecologyhabitat structurepolychaete

Information

Type
Marine Record
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 105 , 2025 , e114
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.

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