Tamal Mondal, C. Raghunathan and K. Venkataraman. Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhavan, M- Block, New Alipore, Kolkata , India

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1 World Journal of Zoology 9 (4): , 2014 ISSN IDOSI Publications, 2014 DOI: /idosi.wjz Continental Shelf of North, Middle and South Button Island National Parks of Andaman and Nicobar Islands: A Wide Platform for Reef Building Corals in India Tamal Mondal, C. Raghunathan and K. Venkataraman 1 Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, National Coral Reef Research Institute, Haddo, Port Blair , Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India 2 Zoological Survey of India, Prani Vigyan Bhavan, M- Block, New Alipore, Kolkata , India Abstract: The continental shelf of eastern coast of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, facing Andaman Sea, are well surrounded by fringing type reefs. The Ritchie s Archipelago, composed of 13 islands, is one of the rich biodiversity area in these islands. North, Middle and South Button Islands are designated as three National Parks under the Category II Protected Areas of India to conserve the marine life. Surveys conducted in the shelf region of these three islands revealed out a total of 186 species of scleractinian corals under 55 genera and 13 families with H' ranged 3.2 to The Margalef community indices varied from 5.95 to while Fisher alpha diversity indices shown the range of to The surveys on South Button Island reported with a maximum of 87.63% species of corals out of three islands. The present paper dealt with the diversity and distributional pattern of scleractinian corals on the continental shelf region of three Button Island National Parks. Key words: Scleractinian corals Diversity Button Island National Parks andaman and Nicobar Islands INTRODUCTION 2 2 parks are with 0.44 km and 0.64 km area respectively. Reef building corals are distributed throughout the Ritchie s Archipelago, composed of 13 islands, is one tropical and subtropical regions of the world s ocean of the major marine biodiversity areas in Andaman and due to presence of favorable ecological conditions [4]. Nicobar Islands, located on Andaman Sea. Among those, These marine faunal communities serve as the main three button islands such as North Button, Middle Button building blocks of marine ecosystem. The present paper and South Button Islands were declared as three separate dealt with the scleractinian corals on the continental shelf National Parks under the Notification No. 97(D)/96F. No. region of these three National Parks with a comparative th CWLW/WL/31/1219 dated 28 November 1996 with the diversity measures. extensive observation and assessment though it was included under national parks earlier in 1979 under vide MATERIALS AND METHODS notification number CF/HQ/12(G)/2/162 dated 13 th November. All the three National Parks were established Studies on reef building coral communities were made as Category II Protected Areas which have major or extensively at marine environment of North Button Island substantial part in intertidal zone and small part in National Park ( N and E), Middle terrestrial ecosystems for the purpose of taking Button Island National Park ( N and E) conservatory measures [1-3]. All the three button islands and South Button Island National Park ( N and are very small in area coverage, among them South Button E) by employing Self Contained Underwater 2 Island is the smallest National Park with 0.03 km area Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) diving, snorkeling from where as the Middle Button and North Button National July 2009 to August 2014 to get a comprehensive data of Correspondence Author: Tamal Mondal, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, National Coral Reef Research Institute, Haddo, Port Blair , Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. 281

2 Map 1: Study areas of three Button Island National Parks species diversity and distribution (Map 1). Periodical data community index [22], Fisher alpha diversity index [23] were recorded at regular interval in each year and the and Berger-Parker diversity index [24]. Similarity index study was primary initiated by Manta tow survey method between three National Parks were calculated using [5, 6] later on data were recorded by Line Intercept Sorensen s equation [25]. Transect Method [7, 8]. Individual species photographs were taken using underwater camera (Sony-Cyber Shot, RESULTS Model-T900, marine pack, 12.1 megapixels and Sony- Cyber Shot, Model-TX1, marine pack, 10.2 megapixels) up A total of 186 species of scleractinian corals belong to the maximum depth of 32 m. Coral species were to 55 genera and 13 families were recorded on the identified in conjunction with Veron and Pichon [9-11], continental shelf of the three Button Island National Parks Veron et al. [12] Veron and Wallace [13], Veron [14], (Table 1). Among the study sites, maximum numbers of Wallace [15], Venkataraman et al. [16] and Venkataraman 163 reef building coral species were found at South and Satynarayana [17]. The data were analyzed by seven Button Island National Park followed by 66 species at diversity indices such as Simpson s index (D) [18], North Button Island National Park where as only 32 Shannon-Weaner index (H') [19], Pielou s evenness (J) species were noticed from Middle Button Island National [20], Menhinick diversity index [21], Margalef s Park. 282

3 Table 1: Scleractinian corals of the three Button Island National Parks Button Island National Parks No. North Middle South Family ACROPORIDAE Verrill, 1902 Genus Acropora Oken, Acropora cytherea (Dana, 1846) Acropora forskali (Ehrenberg,1834) Acropora formosa (Dana, 1846) Acropora granulosa (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1860) Acropora hyacinthus (Dana, 1846) Acropora loripes (Brook, 1892) Acropora microphthalma (Verrill, 1859) Acropora wallaceae (Veron, 1990) Acropora divaricata (Dana, 1846) Acropora florida (Dana, 1846) Acropora grandis (Brook, 1892) Genus Anacropora Ridley, Anacropora forbesi Ridley, Genus Astreoporade Blainville, Astreopora gracilis Bernard, Astreopora myriophthalma (Lamarck,1816) Genus Montiporade Blainville, Montipora crassituberculata Bernard, Montipora danae (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1851) Montipora hemispherica (Veron, 2000) Montipora informis Bernard, Montipora peltiformisbenard, Montipora verrucosa (Lamarck, 1816) Family AGARICIIDAE Gray, 1847 Genus Coeloseris Vaughan, Coeloserismayeri Vaughan, Genus Gardineroseris Scheer and Pillai, Gardineroseris planulata (Dana, 1846) Genus Leptoseris Milne Edwards and Haime, Leptoseris explanata Yabe and Sugiyama, Leptoseris incrustans (Quelch,1886) Leptoseris mycetoseroides Wells, Leptoseris scabra Vaughan, Leptoseris solida (Quelch, 1866) Leptoseris striata Fenner and Veron, Genus Pachyseris Milne Edwards and Haime, Pachyseris gemmae Nemenzo, Pachyseris rugosa (Lamarck,1801) Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) Genus Pavona Lamarck, Pavona bipartita Nemenzo, Pavona cactus (Forskal, 1775) Pavona clavus (Dana, 1846) Pavona explanulata (Lamarck, 1816) Pavona varians Verrill, Pavona venosa (Ehrenberg, 1834) Family DENROPHYLLIIDAE Gray, 1847 Genus Turbinaria Oken, Turbinaria stellulata (Lamarck, 1816) Turbinaria radicalis Bernard, Turbinaria peltata (Esper, 1794)

4 Table 1: Continued Family EUPHYLLIDAE Veron, 2000 Genus Euphyllia Dana, Euphyllia ancora Veron and Pichon, Euphyllia glabrescens (Chamisso and Eyscenhardt, 1821) Genus Physogyra Quelch, Physogyra lichtensteini (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1851) Genus Plerogyra Milne-Edwards and Haime, Plerogyra simplex Rehberg, Plerogyra sinuosa (Dana, 1846) Family FAVIIDAE Gregory, 1900 Genus Barabattoia Yabe and Sugiyama, Barabattoia laddi (Wells, 1954) Genus Caulastrea Dana, Caulastrea furcata Dana, Genus Cyphastrea Milne Edwards and Haime, Cyphastrea japonica Yabe and Sugiyama, Cyphastrea agassizi (Vaughan, 1907) Cyphastrea chalcidicum (Forskal, 1775) Cyphastrea microphthalma (Lamarck, 1816) Cyphastrea ocellina (Dana,1864) Cyphastrea serailia (Forskal, 1775) Genus Diploastrea Matthai, Diploastrea helipora (Lamarck, 1816) Genus Diploria Milne Edwards and Haime, Diploria strigosa (Dana,1848) Genus Echinopora Lamarck, Echniopora gemmacea Lamarck, Echinopora hirsutissima (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1849) Echniopora pacificus Veron, Genus Favia Oken, Favia favus (Forskal, 1775) Favia helianthoides Wells, Favia matthaii Vaughan, Favia danae Verrill, Favia maxima Veron and Pichon, Favia lizardensis Veron and Pichon, Favia rotundata (Veron and Pichon, 1977) Favia speciosa Dana, Favia truncatus Veron, Genus Favites Link, Favites abdita (Ellis and Solander, 1786) Favites bestae (Veron, 2000) Favites complanata (Ehrenberg, 1834) Favites halicora (Ehrenberg,1834) Favites chinensis (Verrill, 1866) Favites pentagona (Esper,1794) Favites vasta (Klunzinger,1879) Genus Goniastrea Milne Edwards and Haime, Goniastrea aspera Verrill, Goniastrea australensis ( Milne Edwards and Haime, 1857) Goniastrea edwardsi Chevalier, Goniastrea minuta Veron, Goniastrea peresi (Faure and Pichon, 1978) Goniastrea palauensis (Yabe and Sugiyama, 1936) Goniastrea pectinata (Ehrenberg, 1834) Goniastrea retiformis (Lamarck, 1816)

5 Table 1: Continued Genus Leptoria Milne Edwards and Haime, Leptoria irregularis Veron, Leptoria phrygia (Ellis and Solander, 1786) Genus Leptastrea Milne Edwards and Haime, Leptastrea pruinosa Crossland, Leptastrea purpurea (Dana, 1846) Leptastrea transversa Klunzinger, Genus Montastrea de Blainville, Montastrea annuligera (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1849) Montastrea colemani Veron, Montastrea annularis (Ellis and Solander, 1786) Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus, 1766) Genus Oulophyllia MED andh, Oulophyllia levis (Nememnzo,1959) Genus Platygyra Ehrenberg, Platygyra lamellina (Ehrenberg, 1834) Platygyra pini Chevalier, Platygyra carnosus Veron, Platygyra sinensis (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1849) Platygyra verweyi Wijsman-Best, 1976 ijsman-best, Genus Plesiastrea Milne Edwards and Haime, Plesiastrea versipora(lamarck, 1816) Family FUNGIIDAE Dana,1846 Genus CycloserisMilne Edwards and Haime, Cycloseris cyclolites (Lamarck, 1801) Cycloseris vaughani (Boschma, 1923) Cycloseris erosa (Doderlain,1901) Cycloseris sinensis Milne Edwards and Haime, Cycloseris somervillei (Gardiner, 1909) Cycloseris colini Veron, Genus Ctenactis Verrill, Ctenactis crassa (Dana, 1846) Ctenactis echinata (Pallas, 1766) Genus Fungia Lamarck, Fungia concinna Verrill, Fungia danai Milne Edwards and Haime, Fungia fralinae Nemenzo, Fungia fungites (Linnaeus,1758) Fungia granulosa Klunzinger, Fungia horrida Dana, Fungia klunzingeri Doderlein, Fungia paumotensis Stutchbury, Fungia puishaniv eron and De Vantier, Fungia repanda Dana, Fungia scutaria Lamarck, Fungia scabra (Doderlein,1901) Fungia seychellensis Hoeksema, Genus Halomitra Dana, Halomitra pileus (Linnaeus, 1758) Halomitra clavator Hoeksema, Genus Cantharellus Hoeksema and Best, Cantharellus noumae Höksema and Best, Cantharellus jebbi (Hoeksema, 1993) Genus Herpolitha Eschscholtz, Herpolitha limax (Houttuyn, 1772) Herpolitha weberi Horst,

6 Table 1: Continued Genus Lithophyllon Rehberg, Lithophyllon lobata (Horst, 1921) Lithophyllon undulatumr ehberg, Genus Podabacia Milne Edwards and Haime, Podabacia crustacean (Pallas,1766) Podabacia motuporensis Veron, Genus Polyphyllia Quoy and Gaimard, Polyphyllia talpina (Lamarck, 1801) Genus Sandalolitha Quelch, Sandalolitha dentata Quelch, Sandalolitha robusta (Quelch,1886) Family MERULINIDAE Verrill,1866 Genus Hydnophora Fischer de Waldheim, Hydnophora exesa (Pallas,1766) Hydnophora microconos (Lamarck, 1816) Hydnophora rigida (Dana,1846) Genus Merulina Ehrenberg, Merulina ampliata (Ellis and Solander, 1786) Family MUSSIDAE Ortmann, 1890 Genus Acanthastrea Milne Edwards and Haime, Acanthastrea echinata (Dana, 1846) Acanthastrea hemprichii (Ehrenberg, 1834) Acanthastrea regularis Veron, Acanthastrea bowerbanki Milne Edwards and Haime, Acanthastrea brevismilne Edwards and Haime, Acanthastrea rotundoflora Chevalier, Acanthastrea faviaformis Veron, Genus Lobophyllia de Blainville, Lobophyllia corymbosa (Forskal,1775) Lobophyllia hemprichii (Ehrenberg, 1834) Lobophyllia robusta Yabe and Sugiyama, Lobophyllia pachysepta Chevalier, Lobophyllia dentatus Veron, Genus Symphyllia Milne Edwards and Haime, Symphyllia erythraea (Klunzinger, 1879) Symphyllia radians Milne Edwards and Haime, Symphyllia recta (Dana,1846) Symphyllia valenciennesii Milne Edwards and Haime, Genus Scolymia Haime, Scolymia vitiensis Bruggemann, Scolymia australis (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1849) Family OCULINIDAE Gray,1847 Genus Galaxea Oken, Galaxea astreata (Lamarck, 1816) Galaxea fascicularis (Linnaeus, 1767) Family PECTINIIDAE Vaughan and Wells, Genus Echinophyllia Klunzinger, Echinophyllia aspera (Ellis and Solander,1786) Echinophyllia echinoporoides Veron and Pichon Genus Mycedium Oken, Mycedium elephantotus (Pallas,1766) Genus Oxypora Saville Kent, Oxypora glabra Nemenzo,

7 Table 1: Continued Genus Pectinia Oken, Pectinia alcicornis (Saville-Kent,1871) Pectinia paeonia (Dana,1846) Family PORITIDAE Gray, 1842 Genus Goniopora de Blainville, Goniopora columna Dana, Goniopora minor Crossland, Genus Porites Link, Porites compressa Dana, Porites cylindrical Dana, Porites stephensoni Crossland, Porites horizontalata Hoffmeister, Porites lobata Dana, Porites densa Vaughan, Porites murrayensis Vaughan, Porites rus (Forskal,1775) Porites solida (Forskal, 1775) Porites vaughani Crossland, Family POCILLOPORIDAE Gray, 1842 Genus Pocillopora Lamarck, Pocillopora damicornis Linnaeus, Pocillopora danae Verrill, Pocillopora verrucosa (Ellis and Solander, 1786) Genus Stylophora Schweigger, Stylophora pistillata Esper, Family SIDERASTERIDAE Vaughan and Wells, 1943 Genus Coscinaracea Milne Edwards and Haime, Coscinaraea columna (Dana, 1846) Coscinaraea monile (Forskal, 1775) Genus Psammocora Dana, Psammocora contigua (Esper, 1797) Psammocora obtusangula (Lamarck, 1816) Psammocora digitata Milne Edwards and Haime, Psammocora haimeana Milne Edwards and Haime, Psammocora superficialis Gardiner, Number of species First, the collected data were interpreted by while Middle Button Island National Park showed 0.92 applying Shannon-Weaver diversity index and Menhinick (Fig. 2). The value of Berger-Parket diversity index and diversity index. Among the three study areas, South Dominance index was highest at Middle Button Island Button Island National Park showed maximum numerical National Park while lowest was recorded at South Button values for the both the diversity indices followed by Island National Park (Fig. 2). But Pileou s evenness index North Button National Park whereas the minimum values showed quite altered characteristics as maximum were obtained for Middle Button Island National Park evenness (0.79) was found at North Button Island (Fig. 1). National Park and minimum (0.76) was recorded at Middle Simpson s diversity index revealed that the Button Island National Park (Fig. 2). scleractinian corals of South Button Island National Park Analysis of Margalef community index and Fisher are more diverse with the highest value of 0.99 whereas alpha diversity index were also made to strengthen the the Middle Button Island is less diverse (0.94) in interpretation data on the scleractinian corals of three comparison with the other two National Parks (Fig. 2). study areas. It was seen that South Button Island The equitability index marked that the South Button National Park showed the maximum value for both the Island National Park showed maximum value of 0.95 diversity and community indices whereas Middle Button followed by 0.94 of North Button Island National Park Island National Park showed the minimum (Fig. 3). 287

8 Fig. 1: Shannon-Weaver and Menhinick diversity indices of three Button Island National Parks Fig. 2: Diversity, Equitability and Evenness indices of the three Button Island National Parks Fig. 3: Community and diversity indices of three Button Island National Parks Table 2: Sorensen similarity index of the three Button Island National Parks Middle Button Island N.P. South Button Island N.P. North Button Island N.P Middle Button Island N.P The islands represented a great variation is species distributional pattern among the three islands. South and abundance ranged from 32 to 163 species at the three North Button Island National Parks showed maximum areas whereas the cumulative number of scleractinian value of 0.40 similarity index whereas a minimum similarity coral species was 186. The magnitudes of similarities and (0.25) was observed between South and Middle Button dissimilarities were also quantified to state their Island National Parks (Table 2). 288

9 DISCUSSION without or very insignificant intertidal zone as the slopes of the island is very steep [3]. The rocky and hard Reef building corals are the shallow water faunal slopes of this island had given enormous scope to the communities of marine environment with the great planula larvae for successful recruitment which was diversity mainly in Indo-Pacific region [26]. The variability flourished as excellent, highly diversified coral species on of species existence can be varied with the assemblage of the continent shelf region. The topological feature of the regional climatic clues and marine habitat [4]. The North and Middle Button Island implies that slopes of diversity and distributional pattern of scleractinian corals those islands are well surrounded by sandy flat areas. can be visualized in differentiation with the onset of the Some areas are of those islands exhibit reef patches or settlement of juveniles and their progressive development scattered rocky substratum where scleractinian were [27]. The present study showed a total number of 186 recorded during the presence study. But North and species of hard corals from the entire study areas. The Middle Button Islands showed a great difference in development and growth form of recently observed corals species abundance and diversity in comparison with the of thee island based National Parks are the result of South Button Island. So it can be said that, due to great successful recruitment and establishment of each differentiation of structural components of substratum of individual species under sustainable habitat which was continental shelf region, settlement as well as recruitment started long back and formed coral communities and of scleractinian corals was seen in high variable state at population due course of advantageous and adaptive three Button Island National Parks. The present study condition with species coexistence [28]. Previous reports also implies that, South Button Island National Park can of scleractinian corals demonstrated that the works were be considered to promote from Category II to Category I mainly carried out on entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protected Area according to IUCN on basis of high for the search of scleractinian lives. A total of 479 species species diversity of reef building corals within the were reported from the entire Andaman and Nicobar stipulated area. Islands [29]. Only one exclusive study was made on Button Island National Parks where a total of 50 species ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of scleractinian corals under 20 genera and 11 families were reported [3]. But the present study showed 3.72 Authors are grateful to the Ministry of Environment, times more scleractinian species i.e. 186 species in Forests and Climate Change, Government of India for comparison with the previous report. It is also taken as providing financial assistance to undertake the study consideration that the, earlier report was made based on through the projects of National Coral Reef Research the survey restricted to the depth of 5-7 m. But the Institute, Zoological Survey of India, Port Blair. present study was made up to the maximum depth of 32 m by SCUBA diving which gave a wide scope to explore the REFERENCES reef building. South Button Island National Park with km land area was the most productive and diversified 1. Andaman and Nicobar Administration (Forest place to harbor scleractinian corals in its surrounding Department), Andaman and Nicobar Gazette, areas with the presence of 87.63% species of the total Notification No. 97(D)/96F.No.CWLW/WL/31/1219 species content. Other two islands such as North Button th dated 28 November and Middle Button shared only 35.84% and 17.02% 2. Singh, H.S., Marine Protected Areas in India. scleractinian species though the continental shelves of Indian Journal of Marine Sciences, 32(3): those two islands were greater than South Button Island. 3. Rao, D.V. and D.R.K. Sastry, Fauna of Button Recruitment of reef building corals is strongly dependent Island National Parks, South Andaman, Bay of on some basic requirements such as settlement of planula Bengal. Rec. zool. Surv, Occ. Paper No., 270:1-54, larvae on hard substratum. Planktonic dispersal, (Published by the Director, Zool. Surv. India, settlement and post-settlement growth and survival are Kolkata). the basic need of successful recruitment scheme for any 4. Chen, C.A., Analysis of Scleractinian species of scleractinians [30]. Larvae regulate the prime Distribution in Taiwan Indicating a Pattern role to select marine habitat for the continuation of Congruent with Sea Surface Temperatures and post-settlement survival [31-34]. The topology of South Currents: Examples from Acropora and Faviidae Button Island is rock and truly it is a boulder like structure Corals. Zoological Studies, 38(2):

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