Spatiotemporal characteristics of water exchange between the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal

A high-resolution customized numerical model is used to analyze the water transport in the three major water passages between the Andaman Sea(AS)and the Bay of Bengal,i.e.,the Preparis Channel(PC),the Ten Degree Channel(TDC),and the Great Channel(GC),based on the daily averaged simulation results ranging from 2010 to 2019.Spectral analysis and Empirical Orthogonal Function(EOF)methods are employed to investigate the spatiotemporal variability of the water exchange and controlling mechanisms.The results of model simulation indicate that the net average transports of the PC and GC,as well as their linear trend,are opposite to that of the TDC.This indicates that the PC and the GC are the main inflow channels of the AS,while the TDC is the main outflow channel of the AS.The transport variability is most pronounced at surface levels and between 100 m and 200 m depth,likely affected by monsoons and circulation.A 182.4-d semiannual variability is consistently seen in all three channels,which is also evident in their second principal components.Based on sea level anomalies and EOF analysis results,this is primarily due to equatorial winds during the monsoon transition period,causing eastward movement of Kelvin waves along the AS coast,thereby affecting the spatiotemporal characteristics of the flow in the AS.The first EOF of the PC flow field section shows a split at 100 m deep,likely due to topography.The first EOF of the TDC flow field section is steady but has potent seasonal oscillations in its time series.Meanwhile,the first EOF of the GC flow field section indicates a stable surface inflow,probably influenced by the equatorial Indian Ocean’s eastward current.

3D and 2D topographic correction to estimated geothermal gradient from the base of gas hydrate stability zone in the Andaman Forearc Basin

Methane gas hydrate related bottom-simulating reflectors(BSRs)are imaged based on the in-line and cross-line multi-channel seismic(MCS)data from the Andaman Forearc Basin.The depth of the BSR depends on pressure and temperature and pore water salinity.With these assumptions,the BSR depth can be used to estimate the geothermal gradient(GTG)based on the availability of in-situ temperature measurements.This calculation is done assuming a 1D conductive model based on available in-situ temperature measurement at site NGHP-01-17 in the study area.However,in the presence of seafloor topography,the conductive temperature field in the subsurface is affected by lateral refraction of heat,which focuses heat in topographic lows and away from topographic highs.The 1D estimate of GTG in the Andaman Forearc Basin has been validated by drilling results from the NGHP-01 expedition.2D analytic modeling to estimate the effects of topography is performed earlier along selected seismic profiles in the study area.The study extended to estimate the effect of topography in 3D using a numerical model.The corrected GTG data allow us to determine GTG values free of topographic effect.The difference between the estimated GTG and values corrected for the 3D topographic effect varies up to~5℃/km.These conclude that the topographic correction is relatively small compared to other uncertainties in the 1D model and that apparent GTG determined with the 1D model captures the major features,although the correction is needed prior to interpreting subtle features of the derived GTG maps.

Occurrence of <i>Chloeia flava pulchella</i>Baird, 1868, from Off Junglighat, South Andaman, India

Fire-worms from the family Amphinomidae Lamark, 1818, act as a predator, scavenger and sedimentivores, in nearshore waters. This family has 146 valid species among them 18 numbers reported from Indian marine environment and 11 reported from the Andaman waters. Among this family, genus Choleia Lamark. 1818, reported 4 species and 1 subspecies from the Andaman waters. Among these the species Chloeia flava pulchella Baird, 1868was reported by Tampi and Rangarajan, 1964, but no detailed species description was found for this species. During the studies on continuous monitoring of the environmental parameter of nearshore waters of off South Andaman region, a specimen of Chloeia flava pulchella Baird, 1868, was collected. Later the cursory analysis for this specimen identification was revealed that the detailed description of this species found in this region was not available in the literature. So, the detailed taxonomic description was developed and presented in this article.

A study of the spatial-temporal distribution and propagation characteristics of internal waves in the Andaman Sea using MODIS

This paper describes investigations of the internal waves in the Andaman Sea using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)imagery over the period of June 2010 to May 2016.Results of the spatial and temporal distribution,generation sources and propagation characteristics of internal waves are presented.The statistical analysis shows that internal waves can be observed in almost the entire area of the Andaman Sea.Most internal waves are observed in the northern,central and southern regions of the Andaman Sea.A significant number of internal waves between 7°N and 9°N in the East Indian Ocean are also observed.Internal waves can be observed year-round in the Andaman Sea,while most of internal waves are observed between February and April,with a maximum frequency of 15.03%in March.The seasonal distribution of the internal waves shows that the internal waves have mostly been observed in the dry season(February to April),and fewer internal waves are observed in the rainy season(May to October).The double peak distribution for the occurrence frequency of internal waves is found.With respect to the lunar influence,more internal waves are observed after the spring tide,which implies the spring tide may play an important role in internal wave generation in the Andaman Sea.Generation sources of internal waves are explored based on the propagation characteristics of internal waves.The results indicate that six sources are located between the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands,and one is located in the northern Andaman Sea.Four regions with active internal wave phenomenon in the Andaman Sea were presented during the MODIS survey,and the propagation speed of internal waves calculated based on the semidiurnal generation period is smaller than the results acquired from pairs of the images with short time intervals.

Geochemical cycling during subduction initiation:Evidence from serpentinized mantle wedge peridotite in the south Andaman ophiolite suite

The ophiolite suite from south Andaman Islands forms part of the Tethyan Ophiolite Belt and preserves the remnants of an ideal ophiolite sequence comprising a basal serpentinized and tectonised mantle peridotite followed by ultramafic and mafic cumulate units, basaltic dykes and spilitic pillow basalts interlayered with arkosic wacke. Here, we present new major, trace, rare earth(REE) and platinum group(PGE) element data for serpentinized and metasomatized peridotites(dunites) exposed in south Andaman representing the tectonized mantle section of the ophiolite suite. Geochemical features of the studied rocks, marked by Al_2 O_3/TiO_2 > 23, LILE-LREE enrichment, HFSE depletion, and U-shaped chondrite-normalized REE patterns with(La/Sm)N > 1 and(Gd/Yb)N <1, suggest contributions from boninitic mantle melts. These observations substantiate a subduction initiation process ensued by rapid slab roll-back with extension and seafloor spreading in an intraoceanic fore-arc regime. The boninitic composition of the serpentinized peridotites corroborate fluid and melt interaction with mantle manifested in terms of(i) hydration, metasomatism and serpentinization of depleted, MORB-type, sub-arc wedge mantle residual after repeated melt extraction; and(ii) refertilization of refractory mantle peridotite by boninitic melts derived at the initial stage of intraoceanic subduction. Serpentinized and metasomatized mantle dunites in this study record both MOR and intraoceanic arc signatures collectively suggesting suprasubduction zone affinity. The elevated abundances of Pd(4.4-12.2 ppb) with highΣPPGE/∑IPGE(2-3) and Pd/Ir(2-5.5) ratios are in accordance with extensive melt-rock interaction through percolation of boninitic melts enriched in fluid-fluxed LILE-LREE into the depleted mantle after multiple episodes of melt extraction. The high Pd contents with relatively lower Ir concentrations of the samples are analogous to characteristic PGE signatures of boninitic magmas and might have resulted by the infiltration of boninitic melts into the depleted and residual mantle wedge peridotite during fore-arc extension at the initial stage of intraoceanic subduction. The PGE patterns with high Os + Ir(2-8.6 ppb)and Ru(2.8-8.4 ppb) also suggest mantle rejuvenation by infiltration of melts derived by high degree of mantle melting. The trace, REE and PGE data presented in our study collectively reflect heterogeneous mantle compositions and provide insights into ocean-crust-mantle interaction and associated geochemical cycling within a suprasubduction zone regime.

Late Cenozoic seismic stratigraphy of the Andaman Forearc Basin,Indian Ocean

Interpretation of new multichannel seismic reflection data from the Andaman Forearc Basin(AFB) in the northern Indian Ocean is presented here. The highquality multichannel seismic data from the Andaman Forearc region enable us to examine the seismic characters and to demarcate seismic sequences bounded by distinct unconformities. Ages of marked seismic horizons have been calibrated with available litholog data from nearby industry boreholes. Seismic interpretation of new data shows that the AFB is filled with * 4.5-s-two way travel time(TWT) thick Neogene to Recent sediments. The entire basin assemblage exhibits two distinct major sequences pertaining to the Neogene and Quaternary times. A large part of the basin is filled with intermittent mass transport deposits(MTD). We infer that the episodic uplift of the Invisible Bank, protuberance of the outerarc and regular deformation through reactivation of preexisting normal faults since the Pleistocene could be attributed as causal mechanisms for the MTDs. Strong bottom simulating reflectors are identified in the Late Miocene and younger sediments of the outerarc and AFB at a depth of * 0.6 s TWT and correspond to the presence of gas hydrates in this region. Our interpretations have significant implications for geodynamic as well as resource exploration in the AFB.

Structural Characteristics of the Andaman Forearc Inferred from Interpretation of Multichannel Seismic Reflection Data

The Andaman Forearc Basin （AFB） is asymmetric in configuration and filled with a-6 km-thick pile of Neogene to Recent sediments （-4 s in two-way travel time： TWT） with distinct zonation. It shows gradual thinning up to -3 km （0.8 s in TWT） towards the eastern end with a seabed gradient of 1：30. Thick deformed sediments -2 s （TWT） of the Outerarc are associated with intense faulting and occasional folding caused by recent tectonics. Development of a series of faults within the upwarped sedimentary column of Oligocene top to Recent is observed with a rotated fault block. These features are manifestations of Recent igneous intrusion, and reveal the presence of a mild N-S compressional regime. Its effect on the AFB resulted in further uplift of sediments, which can now be seen as the Invisible Bank. Forward gravity modelling supporting our seismic interpretation reveals that it is associated with igneous intrusion from the Moho （-9 km depth）, and also suggests that continental crust underlies the AFB. Strong Bottom Simulating Reflector （BSR）-like features in the Miocene sediments of Outerarc and Forearc basin at a depth of 0.6 s below the seabed suggest the inferred probable occurrence of gas hydrates in the AFB.

Study on the propagation velocity of internal solitary waves in the Andaman Sea using Terra/Aqua-MODIS remote sensing images

The Andaman Sea has been a classic study region for internal solitary waves(ISWs)for several decades,and extraordinarily large ISWs are characteristic of the Andaman Sea in the Indian Ocean.This paper presents results on the estimation of the propagation velocity of ISWs in the Andaman Sea that were tracked using 195 image pairs acquired by MODIS National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA)Terra/Aqua satellites between January 2014 and December 2018.A total of 562 ISWs were identified during the period,and the results of the propagation velocity distribution of ISWs in the Andaman Sea are presented.The estimated propagation velocity of ISWs agrees well with the theoretical results derived from the Korteweg-de Vries(KdV)equation using monthly climatology stratification data and local bathymetry.The ISW propagation velocity decreases as they propagate from deep to shallow water;the maximum propagation velocity of 3.27 m/s was estimated on the western side of the Nicobar Islands and minimum speed of 0.54 m/s occurred in the shallow water region of the southeastern Andaman Sea.The results show that the ISW propagation characteristics differ in the northern,central,and southern regions of the Andaman Sea.In the northern Andaman Sea,the velocity of ISWs propagating westward was greater than that of ISWs propagating eastward at the same water depth.In the central Andaman Sea,the propagation velocity of the ISWs differed over a small area at a depth of 2500 m,and the velocity of ISWs in the deep mixing layer in winter was higher than that in the shallow mixing layer in spring.Monthly variations in ISW propagation velocity were analyzed in the southern Andaman Sea,and the velocity of ISWs differed greatly in shallow water and was not significantly different in deep water.Water depth and monthly stratification play vital roles in controlling the phase speed of ISWs in the Andaman Sea.This study will provide a basis for the propagation and prediction of ISWs in the Andaman Sea.

Micro-textures in plagioclase from 1994-1995 eruption, Barren Island Volcano: Evidence of dynamic magma plumbing system in the Andaman subduction zone

A systematic account of micro-textures and a few compositional profiles of plagioclase from high-alumina basaltic aa lava erupted during the year 1994-1995, from Barren Island Volcano, NE India ocean, are presented for the first time. The identified micro-textures can be grouped into two categories： （i） Growth related textures in the form of coarse/fine-sieve morphology, fine-scale oscillatory zoning and resorption surfaces resulted when the equilibrium at the crystal-melt interface was fluctuated due to change in temperature or H20 or pressure or composition of the crystallizing melt; and （ii） morphological texture, like glomerocryst, synneusis, swallow-tailed crystal, microlite and broken crystals, formed by the influence of dynamic behavior of the crystallizing magma （convection, turbulence, degassing, etc.）. Each micro-texture has developed in a specific magmatic environment, accordingly, a first order magma plumbing model and crystallization dynamics are envisaged for the studied lava unit. Magma generated has undergone extensive fractional crystallization of An-rich plagioclase in stable magmatic environment at a deeper depth. Subsequently they ascend to a shallow chamber where the newly brought crystals and pre-existing crystals have undergone dynamic crystallization via dissolution-regrowth processes in a convective self- mixing environment. Such repeated recharge-recycling processes have produced various populations of plagioclase with different micro-textural stratigraphy in the studied lava unit. Intermittent degassing and eruption related decompression have also played a major role in the final stage of crystallization dynamics.

Observations and Simulations of the Circulation and Mixing around the Andaman-Nicobar Submarine Ridge

Using data collected by an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler （ADCP） on a research cruise in April 2010 in the eastern Indian Ocean, the vertical cun＇ent structures surrounding the Andaman-Nicobar Submarine Ridge （ANSR） are analyzed to investigate the hydrographic responses to the topography in this region. The results show that the topography of ANSR can induce internal waves around the submarine ridge that have a maximum current velocity of 1 m s 1 The spatial struc- ture of the turbulent kinetic energy （TKE） and shear in this region during 2010 is investigated using the high-resolution Princeton Ocean Model （POM） forced by the satellite-based Advanced Scatterometer （ASCAT） winds including the tide, The results show that the model successfully simulates the internal waves around the ANSR. Numerical experiments further indicate that both the topography and tide play an important role in the gen- eration of the internal waves in this region.

The observed tidal and residual currents in the Andaman Sea during the second half of 2016

The characteristics of currents and tidal currents in the Andaman Sea（AS） are studied during the second half of2016 using observed data from a moored acoustic Doppler current profiler（ADCP） deployed at 8.6°N, 95.6°E.During the observation period, the mean flow is 5–10 cm/s and largely southward. The root mean square and kinetic energies of the low and high frequency flows, which are divided by a cutoff period of 5 d, are at the same level, indicating their identical importance to the total current. A power spectrum analysis shows that intraseasonal oscillations, a tidal-related semilunar month signal, a semidiurnal tidal signal and periods of 3–4 d are prominent. The barocliny of an eddy kinetic energy is stronger than the mean kinetic energy, both of which are the strongest on the bottom and the weakest at 70 m depth. Residual currents are largely southward（northward） during the summer（winter） monsoon season. Two striking peaks of the southward flow cause the 80 d period of meridional currents. The first peak is part of a large-scale circulation, which enters the AS through the northern channel and exits through the southern channel, and the second peak is part of a local vortex. The 40 d oscillation of the zonal current is forced by geostrophic variations attributed to local and equatorial remote forcing. The tidal current is dominated by semidiurnal constituents, and among these, M2 and N2 are the top two largest major axes. Moreover, astronomical tidal constituents MM and MSF are also significant. Diurnal constituents are weak and shallow water tides are ignorable. The aims are to introduce the new current data observed in the AS and to provide initial insights for the tidal and residual currents in the Andaman Sea.

On the heat budget and water mass exchange in the Andaman Sea

The characteristics of the T/S structures,water mass exchange and deep circulation in the Andaman Sea are investigated based on the simulation from a high-resolution general circulation model(MITgcm).The results show that,below 1000 m,the water mass is saltier,warmer and more homogeneous in the Andaman Sea than that in the Bay of Bengal,attributing to the strong vertical mixing at the depth of^1800 m.The water mass exchange between the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal goes through three major channels,which manifests itself as follows:the northern channel(Preparis Channel)is the main passage of water mass transport from the Bay of Bengal to the Andaman Sea,whereas the Middle Channel(the south of Andaman Islands and the north of Nicobar Islands)has an opposite transport;the southern channel(Great Channel)features with a four-layer water exchange which results in the least net transport among the three channels;all the transports through the three channels have an intra-annual variation with a period of half a year.At 1000-m depth,the entire Andaman Sea is occupied by a cyclonic circulation in January and July while by an anticyclonic one in April and October.The semiannual cycle found in both the deep circulation and water mass exchange is likely associated with the downwelling eastward-propagating Kelvin waves induced by the semiannual westerly component in the equatorial Indian Ocean during intermonsoon seasons.

GRACE detection of the medium-to far-field coseismic gravity changes caused by the 2004 Mw9.3 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake

Large earthquakes cause observable changes in the Earth’s gravity field, which have been detected by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). Since most previous studies focus on the detection of near-field gravity effects, this study provides the results from the medium- to far-field gravity changes caused by the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake that are recorded within GRACE monthly solutions. Utilizing a spherical-earth dislocation model we documented that large-scale signals predominate in the global field of the coseismic gravity changes caused by the earthquake. After removing the near-field effects, the coseismic gravity changes show a negative anomaly feature with an average magnitude of -0.18×10-8 m·s-2 in the region ranging ～40° from the epicenter, which is considered as the 'medium ffield' in this study. From the GRACE data released by Center for Space Research from August 2002 to December 2008, we retrieved the large-scale gravity changes smoothed with 3 000 km Gaussian ffilter. The results show that the coseismic gravity changes detected by GRACE in the medium field have an average of (-0.20±0.06)×10-8 m·s-2, which agrees with the model prediction. The detection confirms that GRACE is sensitive to large-scale medium-field coseismic gravitational effects of mega earthquakes, and also validates the spherical-earth dislocation model in the medium field from the perspective of satellite gravimetry.

Detection and interpretation of the Earth's free oscillations excited by the great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake with GGP station data

The mode serials of the Earth’s free oscillation provide some important information on the Earth’s deep structure and superconducting gravimeters （SG） can investigate the phenomena of the Earth’s free oscillations with high accuracy. The great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake fully excited the Earth’s free oscillations and these signals were perfectly recorded by five superconducting gravimeters in the globe. After the pre-treatment and spectral analysis on the SG observation data, we obtained the experimented mode serials of the Earth’s free oscillations consisting of 147 modes with GGP station data. These observed modes were themselves some new important data for the study of the Earth’s deep structure. On the basis of the discussions on some checked inner-core-sensitive modes, we distinguished three layers from the inner core, and the boundary of the upper layer was compatible with the formerly known transition zone in the inner core based on seismic body waves and supported that there were the hemispherical variation and very lower shear velocity zone in the lower inner core.

Co-seismic fault geometry and slip distribution of the 26 December 2004, giant Sumatra–Andaman earthquake constrained by GPS, coral reef, and remote sensing data

We analyze co-seismic displacement field of the 26 December 2004, giant Sumatra–Andaman earthquake derived from Global Position System observations,geological vertical measurement of coral head, and pivot line observed through remote sensing. Using the co-seismic displacement field and AK135 spherical layered Earth model, we invert co-seismic slip distribution along the seismic fault. We also search the best fault geometry model to fit the observed data. Assuming that the dip angle linearly increases in downward direction, the postfit residual variation of the inversed geometry model with dip angles linearly changing along fault strike are plotted. The geometry model with local minimum misfits is the one with dip angle linearly increasing along strike from 4.3oin top southernmost patch to 4.5oin top northernmost path and dip angle linearly increased. By using the fault shape and geodetic co-seismic data, we estimate the slip distribution on the curved fault. Our result shows that the earthquake ruptured ＊200-km width down to a depth of about 60 km.0.5–12.5 m of thrust slip is resolved with the largest slip centered around the central section of the rupture zone78N–108N in latitude. The estimated seismic moment is8.2 9 1022 N m, which is larger than estimation from the centroid moment magnitude（4.0 9 1022 N m）, and smaller than estimation from normal-mode oscillation data modeling（1.0 9 1023 N m）.

Diseases and compromised health states of massive Porites spp. in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea

In this study, we assess coral health by detecting the severity of coral diseases and compromised health states on massive Porites. Field surveys are conducted at twenty-two sites covering the eastern, inner and western Gulf of Thailand as well as the Andaman Sea during 2010–2015. A total of nine coral diseases and signs of compromised health are observed in the waters of Thailand, consisting of pigmentation responses(pink lines, pink patches,pink spots and pink borers), white syndromes(white patches, white bands and ulcerative white spots), growth anomalies, and unusual bleaching patterns. The highest severity of all observed coral diseases and signs of compromised health are found at Ko Khang Khao in the inner Gulf of Thailand, while that observed in the Andaman Sea is relatively low. Composition of the diseases vary across the study sites. Four groups of study sites,in which there is an 80% similarity of diseases or signs of compromised health composition, are clustered and detected based on the Bray-Curtis similarity. The canonical analysis of principal coordinates reveal that most study sites in the Gulf of Thailand, especially the inner Gulf of Thailand, tend to show a high severity of the diseases. The association of disease severity and composition and the level of human impact are also detected.The study sites located near the shores and/or the areas with intensive tourism tend to have higher human impact, especially on poor water quality, which may be linked to the higher severity and composition of coral diseases and signs of compromised health in the Gulf of Thailand. Fish bites are also observed in many study sites.The severity of fish bites in the Gulf of Thailand is much lower compared to the Andaman Sea. Ko Rawi exhibits the highest severity, following by Ko Surin Nua and Ko Butang. The study sites within marine national park boundaries have a significantly higher severity of fish bites than those outside of the marine national park boundaries. This study suggests that higher coral diseases and signs of compromised health severity might be linked to anthropogenic disturbances on coral communities in the waters of Thailand.

The genus Chiropsoides (Chirodropida： Chiropsalmidae) from the Andaman Sea, Thai waters

Box jellyfish Chiropsoides buitendijki from the coastal zone along the Andaman Sea, southwestern Thailand are characterized by a box-shaped body with unilateral branched tentacles and lack of interradial furrows. Tentacular banding was first reported in the present study with 1-3-2-3-2-3-2-3-1 patterns （1-major band, 2-thicker minor band and 3-thinner minor band）. The DNA sequences of 18 S ribosomal RNA genes indicated that the specimen examined were genetically similar to C. buitendijki that was previously identified from the Nam Bor Bay, Phuket, Thailand, and distinct to the other known taxa in the order Chirodropida. In addition, a significant genetic divergence based on 16S mitochondrial gene was observed within the C. buitendijki samples. This indicates a population genetic differentiation but needs further confirmation.

Identification of Y-Nauplii (Facetotecta) in Andaman Sea, India

The Facetotecta is among the lesser known groups in the world ocean. The present study recorded two types of Facetotecta in the Andaman Sea, off Andaman Islands. These two types of Facetotecta were observed during the period of August 2015, July 2016 and October 2017 and identified as Type I Hansenocaris corvinae and Type IX Hansenocaris leucadea. However, the cursory analysis suggested that the Type IX is a new type of Facetotecta and named it as Type XII Hansenocaris portblairenae sp. (nov). This finding suggests that this Facetotecta observation is the first report in the Andaman Sea, as well as in the Indian Ocean Region.

Morphometric analysis of the Andaman outer shelf and upper slope——Implications for the recent slope failure events

The devastating 2004 tsunamis that hit the southwestern coast of Thailand pose a serious threat to people along the coastal zone. A major aim for the tsunami hazard prediction is better prediction of the next tsunamis and their impacts. In this paper, we present the first implications of recent slope failure events of the Andaman outer shelf and upper slope based on a new detailed bathymetric data and subbottom profiler records acquired during two cruises of the MASS project in 2006 and 2007. Morphometric analysis reveals a variety of anomalous features,including: three large plateaus surrounded by moats, ruggedness and unevenness of slope morphology, and two translational submarine landslides. Two submarine landslides are studied from the detailed bathymetric data and subbottom profiler record covering the upper slope of the Andaman Sea shelf break within Thai exclusive economic zone. Maximum approximated volumes of both displaced masses are 4.8×10~7 m~3 and 2.2×10~7 m~3.Considering the data, there is no evidence that landslides have been the sources for tsunami hazard potential in recent geological time. These prerequisites will allow better study of slope failure events in the area. Further investigation is required to better understand obvious geotectonic phenomena.

Distribution of Gastropods in the Intertidal Environment of South, Middle and North Andaman Islands, India

Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the gastropod diversity is high, due to the majority of shores are rocky. The wet rocky shore promotes algal growth, which is ultimate for feeding ground for gastropod growth and development leading to more diversity. The global warming, anthropogenic activities, industrial and domestic pollution, etc., have accelerated the loss of coastal and marine biodiversity components over the last few decades which has been of great concern. However, except global warming, the other factors were of least concern with reference to Andaman and Nicobar Islands biodiversity due to a pristine environment. Therefore, exploration of biodiversity in these islands is essential to create a baseline data for record and future research. Four locations of south to north Andaman Islands which represented Carbyns Cove from south Andaman, Rangat and Mayabunder from the Middle Andaman and Diglipur from the North Andaman were selected for this study. Gastropoda species were collected for a period of one year in three prevailing seasons of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They are South West Monsoon (SW monsoon), North East Monsoon (NE Monsoon) and Non Rainy Seasons (NR Seasons). The present study of gastropods distribution in the South, Middle and North Andaman groups of Islands suggested that there are 71 species belonging to 52 genus and 33 families. At any one of the time and any one of the locations, only one occurrence was noticed for 38 species and remaining 33 species were overlapping with respect to stations and seasons. Evaluation of the cluster suggested that Cluster A (NR season in Carbyns Cove) and Cluster B (NE and SW Monsoon in Mayabunder) as a separate entity among the 12 combinations of stations and seasons due to their species representation. It was also concluded that out of 71 studied species, 3 species were not reported till date in these Island environment and 2 species from any other parts of India.