Journal of Research in Biology ISSN No: Print: 2231 –6280; Online: 2231- 6299 An International Scientific Research Journal ORIGINAL RESEARCH Journal of Research in Biology First report of Nereis (Neanthes) virens (Sars) an epitoky polychaete worm from Middle Strait, Baratang, Andaman Island, India Authors: Muruganantham M, Mohan PM, Karunakumari R and Vibha V. Ubare. Institution: Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Pondicherry University, Brookshabad Campus, Port Blair – 744 112, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Corresponding author: Mohan PM Email Id: Web Address: http://jresearchbiology.com/ documents/RA0508.pdf ABSTRACT: A sudden and mass outburst of the epitoky polychaete worm Nereis (Neanthes) virens (Sars)/ Alitta virens was observed of the surface waters of Middle Strait, Baratang, South Andaman Island during July 2014. This polychaeta worm was studied for its morphology and structural characteristics. We have taken nine consecutive seasonal samplings from July 2011 to January 2015, this was the first appearance of these worms in such a huge mass. These epitoky worms were observed in the month of July 2014 during monsoonal season in Andaman Nicobar Islands. Even though detailed studies were carried out on this worm in the world oceans, the present observation was the first report on the tropical island ecosystem of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Keywords: Nereis (Nthesean) virens (Sars), epitoky, polychaete, Baratang, Andaman Sea, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Article Citation: Muruganantham M, Mohan PM, Karunakumari R and Vibha V. Ubare First report of Nereis (Neanthes) virens (Sars) an epitoky polychaete worm from Middle Strait, Baratang, Andaman Island, India Journal of Research in Biology (2015) 5(5): 1769-1774 Dates: Received: 23 Jan 2015 Accepted: 08 Feb 2015 Published: 30 June 2015 This article is governed by the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0), which gives permission for unrestricted use, non-commercial, distribution and reproduction in all medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 1769-1774 | JRB | 2015 | Vol 5 | No 5 Journal of Research in Biology An International Scientific Research Journal www.jresearchbiology.com Muruganantham et al., 2015 (Jorgensen, 2005). It is a semelparous polychaete and INTRODUCTION The Nereis virens is commonly known as sand dies soon after reproduction (Bass and Brafield, 1972; worm and king ragworm which is used as bait for fishes. Olive et al., 1998). During sexual maturation (epitoky), This species belongs to a group of polychaete worm the species Nereis virens is characterized by behavioral, which has a distinct head with sensory organs and well morphological and physiological changes which enforces developed parapodia (Westheide et al., 1999). The pair the benthic worms for a brief pelagic life and then the of chitinous jaws and many small denticles on the mature male leaves their burrows to swarm and devoted eversible proboscis of Nereis virens are used for grasping for mating (Brafield and Chapman, 1967; Bass and the prey (Gong 2003). The Nereis virens is of potential Brafield, 1972; Snow and Marsden, 1974; Dean, 1978; research significance; it can be cultured and maintained Creaser and Cliffered, 1982; Wilson and Ruff, 1988). in the laboratory (Goerke 1971, 1984; Kristensen, 1984). The enzymatic changes observed are likely related to the In estuarine food web this species serves both as predator metabolic adjustment required to support higher level and prey and is thus an important component of this eco swimming abilities (Goerke, 1979; Hebert et al., 2008). system (Heip and Herman 1979). Further, it is also a As reported by Kristensen (1984) Nereis virens are potential prey in the marine food webs and the shore known to exhibit spawning synchronous with new moon birds Gull and Turns are often dependent on this worm during the month of April with the water temperature of (Spaans 1971; Shklyarevich 1979). This sand worms are 10oc - 12°C. The low seawater temperature is favourable also used in recreational fisheries for black fish, blue than the optimum temperature and strong selective fish, bluke, pogy, weak fish, sea bass, striped bass, spot pressure fish and flounder fish on Atlantic Gulf and Pacific coasts polychaete Nereis virens (Lewis et al., 2003). Nereis (Creaser et al., 1983) as a bait. Large amount of marine virens is an omnivorous animal (Fauchald and Jumars polychaete Nereis virens are imported to California from 1979) however, as reported by Goerke (1971) and the U.S east coast as fishing bait (Cohen 2001). Theede Moreover, Nereis virens and Nereis caeca polychaete Woods Hole. annelids play an important role in the reworking of Study Area fluorescent particles, with in these the Nereis virens carry particles to their burrows (Piot favours for reproduction of semelparous et al., (1973) it is herbivore that lives on Baratang Island is located about 92 km North of et al., 2008). Port Blair (Fig. 1). This Island is approximately 19 km Nereis virens is an important species of estuarine long and 5 km wide with moderately high relief covered sediments and also capable of surviving in high with thick forest (Rajshekhar, 1992) as well as known for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) envrionment its active mud valcano (Srinivasan, 1986). The middle strait separates Port Blair from Baratang Island. This Table 1 Physico-chemical parameters of the seawater Parameters strait is a major connectivity of the two major seas which are designated as Bay of Bengal in the western side and Surface 05 m 10 m 15 m Temperature-°C 28.67 28.58 28.56 28.53 Dissolved Oxygen-ml/L 05.49 05.01 04.87 04.76 pH Salinity-PSU 08.76 31.94 08.79 32.60 08.74 32.82 08.72 32.90 ORP-mv Turbidity - NTU -232 01.60 -234 01.00 -235 01.70 -237 19.70 1770 Andaman Sea on the eastern side of this Island. The role of tidal current is found to be an important factor in this strait; where during high tide the water current moves towards Andaman Sea where as during low tide the water is pushed towards the Bay of Bengal. The current speed is considered to be approximately 2-3 nautical Journal of Research in Biology (2015) 5(5):1769-1774 Muruganantham et al., 2015 Systematic position of the studied polychaete (****) Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Annelida Class: Polychaeta (Grube 1850) Order: Phyllodocida (Williams1815( Family: Nereida (Blainville 1818) Genus: Nereis (Linnaeus 1758) Species: Virens (Sars 1835) Diagnostic Features (Fig. 2, 3 and 4) Two pair of globular eyes are present on the head, eyes are located at the side vie Mouth is eversible Fig. 1 Location of the Study Area Above the mouth a pair of antennae are present miles. The width of the strait is 200 to 250 m in an Two pair of tentacular cirri present on the average. The mangroves are densely covered on both the prostomium at each side sides along the strait. The sediment type is muddy and A pair of fleshy palps are present on the prostomium clayey with debris. A pair of jaws are present which consists of denticles The paragnaths present as a rows on the eversible MATERIAL AND METHODS The physico-chemical proboscis parameters such as temperature, salinity, pH, Eh, dissolved Oxygen (DO), turbidity and depth are measured at in situ by using Quanta Hydrolab equipment. The zooplankton samples were collected using the standard Indian Ocean Zooplankton net, hauling through the motorized dingy. The dingy were operated at two nautical mile speed for 10 minutes and the flow meter reading were noted at start and end of the collection. The observed worms in the zooplankton samples were separated out and Total length of the specimen is 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm The width is 0.4 cm without parapodium and 0.6 cm including parapodium The total segments of the (3.5 cm length) specimen is more than 120 The first two segments consist of two pair of tubular cirri From the third segment onwards five tubular cirri in each side with simple parapodia are present preserved in 10% formaldehyde solution. The samples Below 19th segments there are complex parapodium were brought to the laboratory and studies for structural with a pair of notopodial cirri and A pair of anal cirri are also present morphological characters were done using stereoscopic binocular microscope (Nikon SMZ 1500). Photographs were taken using Nikon Cool Pix p6000 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Microscopic camera. The samples were preserved in a Even though continuous monitoring of this study glass container and the specimens were kept for area was done for last five years i.e. July 2011 to January reference purpose. 2015, this occurrence of Nereis virens was found only in the period of July 2014. The surface waters of the strait Journal of Research in Biology (2015) 5(5): 1769-1774 1771 Muruganantham et al., 2015 Figure 2. Nereis virens Dorsal View Figure 3. Nereis virens Ventral View had countless number of individuals with very rapid would swarm on the water column at new moon days. swimming activities. The collected samples were However, in the Indian Ocean, especially in Andaman examined in the laboratory and confirmed as the Sea, of Andaman and Nicobar regions no such early semelparous polychaete Nereis virens (Sars). According reports on semelparous polychaete - Nereis virens were to the Presvions reports, this semelparous polychaete found. This information was further confirmed by the Nereis virens is mostly inhabituated in the temperate available reports of Soota and Rao (1977), Soota et al., regions. According to Kristensen (1984) this species (1980) and Rajasekaran and Fernando (2012) who had o required a temperature of 10 C to 20°C for spawning. reported one hundred and ninety one species of However, during the day of collection in the present polychaete from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. study the temperature of the surface water was 28.67°C, Aungtonya et al., (2002) formulated a data base and salinity was 31.94 PSU (Table 1) and also a new moon check list of polychaetes from Puckhet Marine day. Creaser and Cliffered (1984) and Wilson and Ruff Biological Center, Thailand, and Idrish and Arshad (1989) reported that the male species of Nereis virens (2013) also produced a check list of polychaetous Figure 4. Microscopic photo of Nereis virens 10x7.8 X Figure 5. Head with eversible Proboscis 1772 Journal of Research in Biology (2015) 5(5):1769-1774 Muruganantham et al., 2015 Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology and Other authorities of Pondicherry University are acknowledged to provide facilities for executing this project. REFERENCES Aungtonya C, Thaipal S and Bussarawit S. 2002. A List of Polychaetes (Annelida) in the Reference collecection Database of the Phuket Marine Biological Center, Thailand. Phuket Marine Biological Center Special Publication 24:21-32 Figure 6 Head with Denticular Jaws and Paraganths .Bass NR and Brafiel AE. 1972. The life cycle of annelids in Malaysia, which also did not include this species in these waters. Polychaete Nereis virens. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 52: 701-726. Based on the above inferences, it is suspected Brafield AE and Chapman G. 1967. 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