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Spatiotemporal Variations in the Species Diversity, Distribution Pattern and Population Ecology of the Intertidal Asteroidea From the Rocky Shores of Gujarat, India

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Abstract

Present study was aimed to study the ecology of intertidal Asteroidea from the rocky shores of Gujarat state of India. For this study, eight rocky shores viz., Okha, Shivrajpur, Dwarka, Mangrol, Veraval, Dhamlej, Simbor and Diu of the Gujarat coastline were selected and surveyed extensively from January to December 2021. Though the shores studied are situated along a continuous coastline, significant spatiotemporal variations in their diversity, distribution and density were observed. Four intertidal Asteroidea Echinaster purpureus, Anthenea rudis, Aqulionastra lorioli and Aqulionastra burtoni were identified and studied. The present study revealed that species diversity and density of Asteroidea were varied over temporal and diverse spatial scales. The distribution pattern of different asteroid species was also found to be varied in the rocky shores studied. It is possible that along with the prevailing climatic conditions of the study period and the intertidal faunal composition therein, coastal structure and various microhabitats might have played a vital role in the observed differences. Empirical data provided in this study offers a better understanding of intertidal Asteroidea and provides the baseline for future field and experimental studies on predation, interspecific and intraspecific competition and coexistence in intertidal communities.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by ‘Shodh’ fellowship from the Government of Gujarat State, India, to the HB. We are grateful to Dr. Usha Parmeswaran for her help and discussion about discriminate the color morphs of the Aquilonastra lorioli. Authors are thankful to Niyati Gajera, Zalak Sabapara and Drushita Aghera for their support during field work. Authors are also thankful the laboratory and museum facility provided by Department of Biosciences, Saurashtra University, Rajkot, Gujarat, India.

Funding

The authors are thankful to the Department of Bioscience, Rajkot for supporting this study through its fieldwork fund provided by Saurashtra University and for the SHODH fellowship awarded to the first author (HB) by Gujarat Government.

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  1. Department of Biosciences, Saurashtra University, Rajkot, 360005, Gujarat, India

    Hitisha Baroliya, Arazoo Chavada & Rahul Kundu

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  1. Hitisha Baroliya
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Contributions

HB and RK conceived the study; HB and AC did the field work, collected data and identification; AC surveyed the literature; HB analyzed the data and preceded the manuscripts writing, RK reviewed the manuscript. All authors contributed significantly to drafting the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Rahul Kundu.

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Baroliya, H., Chavada, A. & Kundu, R. Spatiotemporal Variations in the Species Diversity, Distribution Pattern and Population Ecology of the Intertidal Asteroidea From the Rocky Shores of Gujarat, India. Thalassas 40, 625–638 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-023-00650-6

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