NATIONAL SEMINAR ON AQUARESOURCES : CARE AND CONCERNS February 14, 2015 PROGRAMME & ABSTRACTS Organised by Social Environmental and Biological Association (SEBA) In collaboration with ENVIS Centre on Faunal Diversity, Zoological Survey of India and | West Bengal Biodiversity Board | WessNat. Sem. on Aquaresources: Care & Concerns the values of Shannon-Weiner species diversity index. The health of the manerolt forest as per our constructed 4-point scale was found to be regulated primarily by anthropogenic factors, although in station like Sagar South, the natural erosion may be the key player in determining the mangrove floral diversity. PREVALENCE OF MYXOZOAN PARASITES (MYXOZOA : MYXOSPOREA) IN DIFFERENT FRESH WATER FISHES COLLECTED FROM RIVER DAMODAR IN BANKURA Saugata Basu!, Biplob Kumar Modak’, Prabir Banerjee’ ‘Dept. of Biology, Uttarpara Govt. High School, Uttarpara, Hooghly-712258, West Bengal, India. E-mail : saugatatias@gmail.com Dept. of Zoology, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia-725101, West Bengal SBlaca Madhyamik Vidyaniketan, P.O. Bhara Kalibari, Bankura, West Bengal ‘The present communication records the prevalence of myxozoal (Myxozoa : Myxosporea : Bivalvulida) parasites of the genera Myxobolus Biitschli, 1882 and Thelohanellus Kudo, 1933 in different food fishes of West Bengal, India. The host fishes wore collected from river Damodar in the district of Bankura, West Bengal. There ve 10 different genera of host fishes which belong to as many as 8 families of Bony fishes, viz., Cobitidae, Ambassidae, Channidae, Gobiidae, Bagridae, Mastacembelidae, Cyprinidae, Belonidae. The myxoaoans have been found infecting the fins, operculum, gills as well as the internal organs like intestine and kidney too. ‘The rate of infections as comparatively higher in the winter months. Monthly prevalence of the myxozoan infections along with the genera and families of host fishes are summarised in this communication. CURRENT STATUS OF SNAKEHEAD DIVERSITY IN JNDIA: CARE AND CONCERNS S. Bhattacharya and B. K. Mahapatra Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Deemed University (ICAR), Kolkata Centre, Sector-V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700 091; E-Mail: bkmahapatra2007@yahoo.co.in Snakeheads, commonly called Murrells, constitute one of the main stay of natural fisheries of India that fetch high price as food fish as well as aquarium fish, Bven Murrells are also used in sport fishery and attracted the anglers. As food fish they @Nat. Sem. on Aquaresources: Care & Concerns occupy the top most rank for their flesh quality, less spines, taste, flavour, nutritive value and high protein as well as energy diet. As ornamental fish they are preferred by the hobbyist due to their hardy nature and bright colouration especially in their Juvenile stage. Out of the 35 species recorded and reported globally, India represent 14 Channa species, i.e., Channa amphibeus (McClelland, 1845), Channa andrao Britz, 2013, Channa argus argus (Cantor, 1842), Channa argus warpachowshii (L. 8. Berg, 1909), Channa aurantimaculatus (Musikasinthorn 2000), Channa barca (Hamilton 1822), Channa bleheri (Vierke 1822), Channa gachua (Hamilton 1822), Channa marulius (Hamilton 1822), Channa melanostigma Geetakumari & Vishwanath, 2011, Channa orientalis Bloch & J. G, Schneider, 1801, Channa punctata (Bloch 1793), Channa stewartii (Playfair 1867) and Channa striata (Bloch 1793) from wide variety of habitats, viz., swamps, lakes, sluggish rivers, mountain torrents and coldwater upland waters with the altitudes ranging from near sea level to above 5000 metres asi. Apart from this, one introduced species Channa diplogramma (F. Day, 1865) has been recorded from Kerala. These above mentioned 14 species are now believed to be under the threatened category. Indiscriminate killing through poisoning, overexploitation of brood and juveniles, destruction of breeding ground, pollution mainly caused by coal mines and ecological imbalances due to the introduction of exotic species might have resulted in the dwindling of Snakehead fishery alarmingly. More over Murrells are also susceptible to dreadful diseases, Epizootic Uleerative Syndrome (EUS) particularly in colder climate of India causes a great loss in natural fishery. However, Snakeheads, which are the most promising fishes of India, can be protected and conserved through concerted efforts from all the concerned stakeholders. Ban on the capture of juvenile ornamental fishes by seed collectors for aquarium trade should be enforced strictly. Captive breeding and farming and also ranching in major drainage would probably help in the enhancement of their stock. This would help in the development of sport fishery, ornamental fishery and also the overall fish production of the country. STRAND ASYMMETRY IN CRUSTACEAN MITOGENOME AS AN IMPLICATION OF CHANGE IN SUBSTITUTION PATTERN Mohua Chakraborty and Sankar K. Ghosh’ Genomics and Bioinformatics Lab., Dept. of Biotechnology, Assam University, Silehar-788011, Assam, India, *Email : drsankarghosh@gmail.com Most animal mitochondrial genome exhibit strand asymmetry in nucleotide composition, Crustaceans represent a large diverse group of aquatic arthropods where