New Marine Amphipod Species Found in Chilika Lake

December 13, 2023

GS Paper III Environment and Ecology

Context: Researchers at Berhampur University, Odisha have discovered a new species of marine amphipod which is a shrimp-like crustacean of genus Demaorchestia in the Odisha state’s Chilika lake.

More about this Amphipod Species

Physical features:

Colour and Size: This new species is white in color and less than 15 millimeters in length. It has 13 pairs of legs.

Amphipod

Sub family: It belongs to the subfamily Platorchestiinae found along the Indian coast

About Amphipods

Amphipods (means “both feet”)
Distribution: They may be pelagic (living in the water column) or benthic (living on the ocean bottom).
Integral Part of Marine food chain :Amphipods feed on algae, detritus, and plankton, and are in turn a major food source for many species of fish, especially seahorses and pipefish.
Act as indicators: They act as indicators for studying the impact of climate change and health of coastal ecosystems.
Amphipods are involved in freshwater biological invasions.
Family Talitridae is among the earliest known families of amphipods, having been on Earth since the Jurassic Period.
- Talitrinae, Floresorchestiinae, Pseudorchestoideinae, and Platorchestiinae are its four subfamilies.
Marine amphipods found in India are:
- Quadrivisio Chilikensis from the seaweeds near Nalaban bird sanctuary
- Talorchestia buensis from the West Bengal coastal area.

About Chilika Lake:

Brackish water lake: It spreads across the districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam in the state of Odisha.
Prominent Islands: Krushnaprasad, Nalaban, Kalijai, Somolo and Birds Islands.
Ramsar Site: In 1981, Chilika lake was designated as a “Ramsar Site”, i.e. a wetland of International Importance.
Major Attraction: Irrawaddy dolphins: Satapada is the place to watch Irrawaddy dolphins.