Current context:
Researchers at Berhampur University have discovered a new species of marine amphipod, a shrimp-like crustacea, from Chilika Lake, India’s largest brackish water lagoon.
About current context:
- Parhyale odian is brown in colour and around eight millimetres in length; it has 13 pairs of legs.
- The genus Parhyale was first reported by Stebbing in 1899 from the Virgin Islands.
- A new species, named after Odisha’s native language, Odia, and is one of four researchers involved in its discovery.
About Parhyale odian:
- The Parhyale odian, a brown, eight-millimeter-long bird with 13 legs, is primarily used for capturing prey and feeding.
- The new species, distinct from the 15 globally recognized species, exhibits a stout, robust seta on the male gnathopod’s propodus surface.
- Specimens have been deposited at the Zoological Survey of India’s Estuarine Biology Regional Centre in Gopalpur-On-Sea, Odisha, for further research.
About Amphipods:
- Amphipods are a diverse group of malacostracan crustaceans, exhibiting similarities with crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.
- Amphipods are a crucial component of the marine ecosystem and play a vital role in the marine food chain.
- They also serve as indicators for studying the impact of climate change and health of coastal ecosystems.
- Researchers in 2023 discovered three new marine amphipods: Quadrivisio chilikensis, Demaorchestia alanensis in Chilika Lake, and Talorchestia buensis on the West Bengal coast.