T. Vaitheeswaran , T. Rajasekaran , S. Balasubramani

Rarbio Energies Private Limited, Department of New Drug Discovery (Marine Division), #311/2, Vellalar Street, Mel Ayanambakkam, Chennai- 600 95, Tamil Nadu, India
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Marine Science, 2015, Vol. 5, No. 32   doi: 10.5376/ijms.2015.05.0032
Received: 20 Mar., 2015    Accepted: 06 May, 2015    Published: 20 May, 2015

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Vaitheeswaran et al., 2015, Note on the Genus maretia gray, 1855 and Description of Maretia planulata (Lamarck, 1816) (Echinoidea, Spatangoida), off Thoothukudi Coast of Gulf of Mannar, India (08º 35’ 22.5” N 78º 27’ 40.9 E) – (310 M), International Journal of Marine Science, Vol.5, No.32 1-3 (doi: 10.5376/ijms.2015.05.0032)

Heart sea-urchin was collected from Thoothukudi coast of Gulf of Mannar, Southeast coast of India on April 11, 2014. This specimen was classified as Maretia planulata (Lamarck, 1816) belonging to the family Spatangidae. The most speciose echinoid orders, Spatangoida and Clypeasteroida, are abundant in the Indo-West Pacific and Caribbean. This genus and species are newly recorded in two distinct Indo-Pacific marine zones. One specimen was caught at the depth of 310 m as an incidental by-catch. It was found in tropical waters from about 08º 35’ 22.5”N 78º 27’ 40.9 E/310 m from Thoothukudi fishing harbour, southeast coast of India. This species inhabits tropical waters and usually distributed over the West Pacific from southern Japan to Australia.

Spatangidae; Maretia planulata; First record; Thoothukudi coast; Gulf of Mannar