Underwater ecological observations in the Gulf of Mannar, off Tuticorin-II. The Occurrence of the Synaptid Chondrocloea along with the Massive Sponge, Petrosia

Abstract

In this paper an interesting instance of association between a sponge and a synaptid, which was observed during the course of our underwater dives with SCUBA is recorded. The rocky patches of the sea bottom off Tuticorin exhibited certain sharacteristic fauna depending on the depth and locality. For instance, the shorepvard rocky floor in the 10-13 metre range was characterized by, amongst other things, the small and medium sized sponges firmly attached to the substratum and Ivas conspicuous by the absence of the massive sponge of the genus Petrosla.