Wood-boring organisms from Valapattanam backwaters, south west coast of India

Dicvathifer manni, Lyrodus pedicellatus, Teredo furcifera, Nausitora hedleyi, Bankia campanellata, of the Teredinidae; Martesia striata, M. (Particoma) nairi of the Pholadidae and Sphaeroma terebrans, S. annandalei of the Sphaeromatidae were the species active in the area. The most destructive group was sphaeromatids forming as much as 85.4%. Maximum incidence of L. pedicellatus was noted towards the low saline areas while D. manni and T. furcifera exhibited a different reaction preferring areas around the bar-mouth where the salinity was maximum, the former attacking even live mangroves. M. (P.) nairi and S. terebrans were very common both exhibiting tolerance to wide ranges of salinity. It was observed that different species effectively avoided competition and thus shared the limited wood substratum available in the estuary through their salinity preferences.