The present study claims the first occurrence report of Grandidierella halophilus Wongkamhaeng, Pholpunthin Azman, 2012 from Indian waters. The species was identified as Grandidierella halophilus by carpochelate gnathopod 1, ventral margin of coxa of male gnathopod 2 posteriorly produced into a triangular expansion and having long plumose setae on the posterior margin of the basis of pereopod 7. The species was previously reported only from Thailand. The species was collected from Haripur creek, east coast of India and the salinity of the region was found to be 15 PSU. Based on the previous reports and as observed during the present study, it is concluded that the species is truly euryhaline. The present report increased the number of species in the genus from seven to eight in Indian waters. Amphipods are one amongst the less explored community in the context of Indian coastal waters. The present article claims the first occurrence report of Grandidierella halophilus from India thus suggesting the range extension of the species to Indian coastal waters.

Floresorchestiinae Myers & Lowry, 2020 is a recognizable group in the family Talitridae due to the distinctive presence of slits on their epimeral plates. A distinctive species of the genus Floresorchestia collected from Chilika Lagoon inhabiting the seaweed Gracilaria sp., Floresorchestia odishi sp. nov., can be distinguished from other species of the genus by the remarkably high number of slits on epimeron 2 (43-47) and epimeron 3 (21-24).

A new species of the genus Parhyale, Stebbing 1897 was collected from the intertidal region of Chilika Lagoon associated with the seaweed Gracilaria sp. Parhyale odian sp. nov. differs from other species of the genus by having a stout robust seta on the surface of the propodus near to dactyl hinge of male gnathopod 1. With the new description of P. odian sp. nov., the global species number in the genus rises to 16.

In coastal regions, Talitrids are found among decaying material in the supralittoral zone of sandy beach, mangroves and delta regions. Five genus and five species of the family Talitridae have been reported so far from Indian coastal waters. A new species of the amphipod genus Talorchestia Dana, 1852, Talorchestia buensis sp. nov. was collected from Kadirabad Char, West Bengal, east coast of India. The species was collected from a sandy beach, beneath dead leaves. The new species can be distinguished from other described species of the genus by the presence of a double rows of setae on the endopod of uropod 2, the presence of more than 10 robust setae in each lobe of the telson, antenna 2 reaching more than half the body length, pereopod 7 longer than pereopod 6 and by the absence of a distal protuberance on the palm of male gnathopod 2. The present article increases the total number of world species in the genus to 26.

The genus Demaorchestia Lowry & Myers, 2022 comprises five species globally. This paper adds a new species D. alanensis sp. nov. to this group, thus increasing the total number of global species to six. The sample was collected from the shoreline of Chilika Lagoon near Barkul, east coast of India. The new species can be distinguished from the other members of the genus by having two or three groups of robust setae on the anterior margin of the propodus of gnathopod 1. With the description of this new species, the article further confirms the occurrence of the subfamily Platorchestiinae and the genus Demaorchestia along Indian coast.

A new species of the amphipod genus Quadrivisio Stebbing, 1907, Quadrivisio chilikensis sp. nov. was collected from the Chilika Lagoon, east coast of India. The species was collected from seaweed Chaetomorpha sp.. The new species can be distinguished from other described species of the genus by the presence of a carina on pleonites and urosome, by the flagellum of antenna 2 being twice the length of peduncle article 5 and by pereopods 6 and 7 being equal in length.

Seasonal occurrence of baleen whales along Odisha coast is investigated based on critical evaluation of the stranding data collected from beach surveys, citizen reports and unpublished records during2016- 2020. The study reveals that there have been 18 instances of whale stranding in Odisha of which baleen whales accounted for 12 (66.6%) and Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) alone accounted for 11 instances (61%). Two of the incidents were noted while data review and 16 were investigated in the field and by observing photographs. As the lengths of 55% of the individuals of Bryde’s whale stranded in Odisha were less than the size at which they attain sexual maturity (<39 feet), their seasonal migration to this coast could not be conclusively attributed to mating, breeding or calving purposes. However, a critical review of the seasonal distribution data showed that 91% of the strandings of Bryde’s whale in Odisha beaches occurred during post-monsoon season (November-February), which coincides with the period of high productivity and availability of plenty of food. This leads us to hypothesize that Bryde’s whales, the inhabitants of all tropical and warm temperate waters between 40ºN and 40ºS, possibly migrate to seawaters off Odisha coast, along north-western side of Bay of Bengal for feeding purposes. However, the stranding data alone could not ascertain the habitat use and hence the study calls for further investigations such as stomach content, stable isotopes analysis, and/ or visual observation of feeding activity of the whales in the region to confirm their purpose of congregation as feeding. The study further claims a thorough investigation to understand the reason behind instances of stranding and mortality of baleen whales along the Odisha coast.

Seasonal occurrence of baleen whales along Odisha coast is investigated based on critical evaluation of the stranding data collected from beach surveys, citizen reports and unpublished records during2016- 2020. The study reveals that there have been 18 instances of whale stranding in Odisha of which baleen whales accounted for 12 (66.6%) and Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) alone accounted for 11 instances (61%). Two of the incidents were noted while data review and 16 were investigated in the field and by observing photographs. As the lengths of 55% of the individuals of Bryde’s whale stranded in Odisha were less than the size at which they attain sexual maturity (<39 feet), their seasonal migration to this coast could not be conclusively attributed to mating, breeding or calving purposes. However, a critical review of the seasonal distribution data showed that 91% of the strandings of Bryde’s whale in Odisha beaches occurred during post-monsoon season (November-February), which coincides with the period of high productivity and availability of plenty of food. This leads us to hypothesize that Bryde’s whales, the inhabitants of all tropical and warm temperate waters between 40ºN and 40ºS, possibly migrate to seawaters off Odisha coast, along north-western side of Bay of Bengal for feeding purposes. However, the stranding data alone could not ascertain the habitat use and hence the study calls for further investigations such as stomach content, stable isotopes analysis, and/ or visual observation of feeding activity of the whales in the region to confirm their purpose of congregation as feeding. The study further claims a thorough investigation to understand the reason behind instances of stranding and mortality of baleen whales along the Odisha coast.

The present article provides an updated checklist of marine benthic amphipods and their distribution along Indian coasts. The data for the distribution and diversity of marine benthic amphipods were collected from various published literature. The name of the species was validated from WoRMS and distributional information in Indian waters was verified from GBIF. 1961 to 1990 was the productive period during which maximum research articles were published. Among Indian coastal states, maximum research is done along Tamil Nadu coast followed by Kerala. Studies from other coastal states are sparse and limited to specific geographical points. The total number of marine benthic amphipod species in India is recorded as 230 belonging to three suborders, eight infraorders, 47 families and 125 genera. The east coast of India has a greater diversity of amphipod species compared to the west coast which is probably due to higher numbers of published literatures from the east coast. Senticaudata was identified as the most common suborder as it is dominant on both east and west coast. Species diversity was maximum in Tamil Nadu followed by Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and Gujarat. Although amphipods play a crucial role in ecosystem functions and processes, information regarding the diversity and distribution of Indian marine benthic amphipods is meager and underexplored, necessitating an in-depth investigation.

The diversity of gastropods and bivalves from the mangrove ecosystem of Paradeep, east coast of India, was studied for the first time. The collected primary data and secondary data were compiled to prepare an updated checklist of mangrove-associated gastropods and bivalves of India. In total, 22 species were recorded during the field surveys of Paradeep mangroves of which 19 are gastropod and three are bivalves. The compilation of secondary data with the present primary data revealed the occurrence of 274 species of mangrove-associated gastropods and bivalves in India. The gastropods were represented by 182 species belonging to 50 families and bivalves were represented by 92 species belonging to 27 families. Neritidae, Muricidae, Nassariidae and Ellobiidae are observed to be the dominant gastropod families in the mangrove ecosystem of India and Teredinidae and Veneridae are the dominant families of Bivalvia. Maximum species diversity has been recorded from mangroves of Andaman and Nicobar Islands (91 species) and Maharashtra (83 species). Twenty-eight species of gastropods and bivalves inhabit the mangrove ecosystem of Odisha. The present study also reports the range extension of Monetaria moneta, Neritina smithii and Pila globosa in the mangrove ecosystem of Paradeep.