DISTRIBUTION OF RECENT BENTHIC OSTRACODA, AROUND PULLIVASAL AND POOMARICHAN ISLANDS, OFF RAMESWARAM, GULF OF MANNAR, SOUTHEAST COAST OF INDIA

The area under investigation is Pullivasal and Poomarichan islands of inner shallow shelf region, Gulf of Mannar. Thirty sediment and bottom water samples were collected during two different seasons, namely, southwest monsoon (September 2016) and northeast monsoon (December 2016) in two groups of stations like, "near shore" and "far shore". Forty two Ostracoda species were identified belonging to 35 Genera, 18 Families, 6 Superfamilies, 3 Suborders that represent the Order PODOCOPIDA and PLATYCOPINA. Among the 42 species, 3 species belong to the Suborder PLATYCOPA, and Rest of the species belong to the Suborder PODOCOPA. The population of Ostracoda is more in "far shore" stations than the stations that are situated "near shore". The sediment and water parameters were correlated with the total population and the spatial as well as seasonal variations are determined. Distribution of species as Abundant, Common and Rare, for each and every station is being recorded for both seasons. Seasonally, southwest monsoon favors the abundance of Ostracoda.