Studies on the fauna associated with the cultured seaweed Gracilaria edulis

With a view to study the fauna associated with the cultured seaweed Gracilaria edulis in coastal waters of the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar and to assess the damage, if any, caused by any of the organisms, samples of all animal associated with the cultured seaweeds were collected from the seaweed culture sites. Qualitative analysis of the samples indicated that the fauna is mainly composed of crabs, amphipods, polychaetes, isopods, copepods, gastropods, bivalves, holothurians and fishes. Quantitatively, crabs were found to be more numerous than all other groups, followed by amphipods and polychaetes.