G.J.B.B., VOL.2 (2) 2013: 204-206 ISSN 2278 – 9103 204 A SURVEY AND NEW DISTRIBUTIONAL FINDINGS OF CAULERPA SPECIES IN WANDOOR, SOUTH ANDAMAN, INDIA P. Karthick*, R. Mohanraju, Kada Narayana Murthy, Ch. Ramesh and Sumantha Narayana Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University, Brookshabad Campus, Port Blair 744112, Andaman’s Corresponding author*: karthickmicrobes@gmail.com ABSTRACT Caulerpa (Chlorophyta) species inhabit the intertidal and shallow sub tidal region along the coast of Wandoor Marine National Park, South Andaman, India. In a survey conducted during the month of January 2012 to January 2013, we found seven species of Caulerpa, Caulerpa serrulata (Forskal) J. Agardh, C. peltata (Lamouroux), C. racemosa (Forskkal) J. Agardh, C. racemosa var. Lamourouxii (Turner) Weber-van Bosse, C. mexicana var. pluriseriata W.R. Taylor, C. taxifolia (M. Vahl) C. Agardh and C. verticillata J. Agardh. Among these two species C. racemosa var. Lamourouxii (Turner) Weber-van Bosse and C. mexicana var. pluriseriata W.R. Taylor, are found to be a new distributional records for these Islands as well as for the Indian waters. This is the first time these species are being reported. These were found to be observed during the month of October 2012. KEY WORDS: Caulerpa, Distribution, South Andaman. INTRODUCTION Genus Caulerpa (Chlorophyta, Caulerpales) are common in intertidal and sub tidal zones of tropical and subtropical warm waters throughout the world (Dawes et al. 1967, Benzie et al. 1997). Species among this genus are primarily classified, according to the morphological characters. Earlier studies had reported the presence of Caulerpa filicoides var andamanensis in Andaman group of Islands (Taylor 1965). C. racemosa var. lamourouxii are frequently observed in the Red Sea (Taylor 1967). C. racemosa var. lamourouxii is always found in stagnant waters and in culture ponds along with C. lentillifera which is the commercial species cultivated in culture ponds in kalawisan, Cebu (Belleza & Liao 2007). Two- ranked, three-ranked and multi-ranked branching was observerd in Caulerpa species (Taylor 1975). Present study focuses on the seasonal distribution of Caulerpa species in Wandoor Marine National Park, South Andaman, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS Samples were handpicked from the intertidal region of Wandoor, a part of Wandoor Marine National Park, South Andaman Island, India (11 0 35.668’ N, 92 0 36.427’ E) (Fig.1). Seaweed samples were transported to the laboratory washed with tap water to remove epiphytes and preserved in 4% formalin and herbarium was prepared for further identification studies. Identification of Caulerpa specimens was based on the morphological measurements, descriptions and remarks of earlier herbarium sheets. The checklist of (Oza & Zaidi 2001 , Silva et.al. 1996) along with algae base, referred to confirm the species distribution in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and mainland India. FIGURE 1: Map showing Sampling site