- Australia
Anita M George
SUNY: Stony Brook University, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty Member
- Queensland Museum, Sessile Marine Invertebrates, Post-Docadd
- A Marine Biologist and Fulbright Fellow with expertise in Poriferan (Demosponges and Calcarea) and octocoral taxonomy of India, Maldives, Oman, Australia and the USA.edit
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Recent collections from the western and southern coasts of India recorded two species of Stylissa Hallmann (Scopalinida, Scopalinidae). Stylissa soestii sp. nov. was collected from St. George Island in Goa, Hare Island in the Gulf of... more
Recent collections from the western and southern coasts of India recorded two species of Stylissa Hallmann (Scopalinida, Scopalinidae). Stylissa soestii sp. nov. was collected from St. George Island in Goa, Hare Island in the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay. It has six distinct different morphologies and sizes of styles, in addition to the typical gently curved stout and thin styles characteristic of Stylissa, and two different morphologies of strongyloxeas and rare strongyles. Stylissa carteri (Dendy, 1889) was reported previously from India (Gulf of Mannar and Pearl Banks of Tuticorin) and is redescribed here from populations in Palk Bay, east coast of India, in addition to Muttom, Vizhinjam and Lakshadweep islands, which are the first records of S. carteri from the west coast of India.
Research Interests: Marine Biology, Systematics (Taxonomy), Marine Ecology, Invertebrate Biology, Taxonomy, and 15 moreMarine Science, Invertebrate Zoology, Porifera, Porifera, Marine, Porifera Taxonomy and Systematics, Indian Ocean, Sponges, Marine invertebrates, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Lakshadweep Islands, Palk Bay, Gulf of Mannar, Marine Sponges, and Peninsular India
ABSTRACT A survey of the distribution, percentage coverage, and diversity of octocoral fauna on the south-west coast of India yielded fourteen species from six families: Clavulariidae, Nephtheidae, Melithaeidae, Plexauridae, Gorgoniidae... more
ABSTRACT A survey of the distribution, percentage coverage, and diversity of octocoral fauna on the south-west coast of India yielded fourteen species from six families: Clavulariidae, Nephtheidae, Melithaeidae, Plexauridae, Gorgoniidae and Ellisellidae. This study produced ten new zoogeographical records of octocoral species to India, two species which were first records to the shallow water fauna (11–12 m depth), and one found to be a potential new record to the Indian coast. Octocoral coverage was <1% at all sites and diversity ranged from 6–13 species among the five study sites.
Research Interests:
Mortality from the tsunamis was high, with more than 7,000 deaths in the Nicobar group alone (the final number may never be known as many indigenous people on remote islands may have perished). On the mainland, there were a similar number... more
Mortality from the tsunamis was high, with more than 7,000 deaths in the Nicobar group alone (the final number may never be known as many indigenous people on remote islands may have perished). On the mainland, there were a similar number of fatalities; The greatest losses were in fishing communities although the waves destroyed roads, jetties, other basic infrastructure and entire villages; There was major damage to the coastal resources of southeast India, particularly to mangrove and coastal forests. On the Andaman and ...
Research Interests:
An inventory of sponges from the shallow subtidal reefs of the west and east coasts of southern India is presented. The specimens offered in this paper were based on in-situ collections unlike the previous records of dry and net-entangled... more
An inventory of sponges from the shallow subtidal reefs of the west and east coasts of southern India is presented. The specimens offered in this paper were based on in-situ collections unlike the previous records of dry and net-entangled collections. A total of 101 species belonging to 12 orders, 22 families, 5 subfamilies and 44 genera from 4 subclasses of Class Demospongiae and one species from Class Calcarea are recorded. We recorded 18 new records to India, six new species combinations, 37 potential new records, and 40 species for the first time from the southwest coast.
Research Interests: Evolutionary Biology, Zoology, Conservation Biology, Marine Ecology, Taxonomy, and 15 moreMarine Science, Marine biodiversity, India, Inventory, Scuba Diving, Marine BioTechnology, Checklist, New Species, Coastal ecology and marine biodiversity, Marine invertebrates, Marine Biology and Oceanography, Magnolia, Marine Sponges, Demospongiae, and Calcarea
FIGURE 2. Difference in the species and number of sponges in each family (pooled for all stations).
FIGURE 4. Selected collection sites as examples of habitats and sponge diversity A: Sponge (Auletta lyrata) and hard corals on rocky beds in Grande Island, Goa, B: Cup-shaped Axinella sp. from Netrani Island, Karnataka, C: Encrusting... more
FIGURE 4. Selected collection sites as examples of habitats and sponge diversity A: Sponge (Auletta lyrata) and hard corals on rocky beds in Grande Island, Goa, B: Cup-shaped Axinella sp. from Netrani Island, Karnataka, C: Encrusting Spheciospongia vagabunda in the midst of turf algae on the coral beds of Gulf of Mannar, and D: Fan-shaped, Callyspongia (Callyspongia) sp. from Muttom, Tamil Nadu [Photos A.M.George]
FIGURE 3. Distributional differences of number of sponge specimens in each of the 19 surveyed stations (from top southwest to southeast).
Coral reefs were surveyed at three islands (Kavaratti, Kadmat and Agatti) of Lakshadweep during February 2005 using the Line Intercept Transect method. The percent coverage of coral in all the three islands was good (55%), dominated by... more
Coral reefs were surveyed at three islands (Kavaratti, Kadmat and Agatti) of Lakshadweep during February 2005 using the Line Intercept Transect method. The percent coverage of coral in all the three islands was good (55%), dominated by Acropora spp. (33 %) of the live coral cover. Twenty three genera of corals are reported with two new records for the Lakshadweep islands. No apparent bleaching and crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) related mortality of coral was observed in the three islands. The abundance and distribution of corals and associated biota were recorded along with the characterization of the benthic communities at these sites.
An undescribed species of fish (Eviota sp.) is the first report from a sponge and a critical finding where the coral reef-associated biodiversity remains insufficiently explored especially in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. This report... more
An undescribed species of fish (Eviota sp.) is the first report from a sponge and a critical finding where the coral reef-associated biodiversity remains insufficiently explored especially in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. This report showed that fishes are species-specific in choosing their host. This finding is also expected to lead to further investigations on Eviota sp. and other fish associated with sponges.
Research Interests:
During an examination of xeniid octocorals held in the collections of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) it was determined that identification to the species level was severely limited by the incomplete data present in most species... more
During an examination of xeniid octocorals held in the collections of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) it was determined that identification to the species level was severely limited by the incomplete data present in most species descriptions published prior to 1950. A lack of consistent use of morphological characteristics by authors was found to be the most common difficulty, followed by limited or non-existent in situ data of the species being described. Descriptions from the later part of the twentieth century offered a more complete and detailed account of species. This paper presents the status of the Xeniidae by reviewing its two hundred year taxonomic history, examines the worldwide distribution of xeniids to date, and identifies the current challenges in xeniid systematics. It provides an overview of trends in modern taxonomy including in situ data collection, molecular analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. This last technique illustrates the micro-structural ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
FIGURE 1. Survey stations (yellow dots) on the west and east coastline of south India.
Results of far-infrared and IR reflection measurements of Y_{1-x}Pr_ {x}Ba_2Cu _3O_{7-delta} , U_{1-x}Th _{x}NiSn and FeSi are presented. The experiments were performed over a spectral range of 10 -3000 cm^{-1} and a temperature range of... more
Results of far-infrared and IR reflection measurements of Y_{1-x}Pr_ {x}Ba_2Cu _3O_{7-delta} , U_{1-x}Th _{x}NiSn and FeSi are presented. The experiments were performed over a spectral range of 10 -3000 cm^{-1} and a temperature range of 10-300 K using the technique of fast Fourier transform spectroscopy. The films of the Y_{1 -x}Pr_{x}Ba _2Cu_3O _{7-delta} series were grown using a laser ablation
Research Interests:
Fourteen species of amphipod are recorded as endocommensal with the sponges Coelocarteria singaporensis, Coscinoderma mathewsi and Ircinia microconulosa on the Great Barrier Reef. The genus Leucothoe is represented by three new species,... more
Fourteen species of amphipod are recorded as endocommensal with the sponges Coelocarteria singaporensis, Coscinoderma mathewsi and Ircinia microconulosa on the Great Barrier Reef. The genus Leucothoe is represented by three new species, one specific to each of the three sponges. Hyperadult males of Aoroides parvus Myers are also described.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
An undescribed species of fish (Eviota sp.) is the first report from a sponge and a critical finding where the coral reef-associated biodiversity remains insufficiently explored especially in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. This report... more
An undescribed species of fish (Eviota sp.) is the first report from a sponge and a critical finding where the coral reef-associated biodiversity remains insufficiently explored especially in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. This report showed that fishes are species-specific in choosing their host. This finding is also expected to lead to further investigations on Eviota sp. and other fish associated with sponges.
Research Interests:
An inventory of sponges from the shallow subtidal reefs of the west and east coasts of southern India is presented. The specimens offered in this paper were based on in-situ collections unlike the previous records of dry and net-entangled... more
An inventory of sponges from the shallow subtidal reefs of the west and east coasts of southern India is presented. The specimens offered in this paper were based on in-situ collections unlike the previous records of dry and net-entangled collections. A total of 101 species belonging to 12 orders, 22 families, 5 subfamilies and 44 genera from 4 subclasses of Class Demospongiae and one species from Class Calcarea are recorded. We recorded 18 new records to India, six new species combinations, 37 potential new records, and 40 species for the first time from the southwest coast.
Research Interests: Zoology, Conservation Biology, Marine Ecology, Taxonomy, Marine Science, and 15 moreMarine biodiversity, India, Inventory, Scuba Diving, Marine BioTechnology, Checklist, Marine Biology, Environment, Conservation, New Species, Coastal ecology and marine biodiversity, Marine invertebrates, Marine Biology and Oceanography, Marine Biology and Oceanography, Marine Ecology & Conservation, Marine Sponges, Demospongiae, and Calcarea
This study reports the occurrence of the parasitic isopod, Norileca indica, below the intestinal tract of Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta for the first time from Goa, India. These parasites cause adverse environmental health and... more
This study reports the occurrence of the parasitic isopod, Norileca indica, below the intestinal tract of Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta for the first time from Goa, India. These parasites cause adverse environmental health and food safety concerns calling for close monitoring of food fishes.
Research Interests:
Fourteen species of amphipod are recorded as endocommensal with the sponges Coelocarteria singaporensis, Coscino-derma mathewsi and Ircinia microconulosa on the Great Barrier Reef. The genus Leucothoe is represented by three new species,... more
Fourteen species of amphipod are recorded as endocommensal with the sponges Coelocarteria singaporensis, Coscino-derma mathewsi and Ircinia microconulosa on the Great Barrier Reef. The genus Leucothoe is represented by three new species, one specific to each of the three sponges. Hyperadult males of Aoroides parvus Myers are also described.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
During an examination of xeniid octocorals held in the collections of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) it was determined that identification to the species level was severely limited by the incomplete data present in most species... more
During an examination of xeniid octocorals held in the collections of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) it was determined that identification to the species level was severely limited by the incomplete data present in most species descriptions published prior to 1950. A lack of consistent use of morphological characteristics by authors was found to be the most common difficulty, followed by limited or non-existent in situ data of the species being described. Descriptions from the later part of the twentieth century offered a more complete and detailed account of species. This paper presents the status of the Xeniidae by reviewing its two hundred year taxonomic history, examines the worldwide distribution of xeniids to date, and identifies the current challenges in xeniid systematics. It provides an overview of trends in modern taxonomy including in situ data collection, molecular analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. This last technique illustrates the micro-structural features of the sclerites or skeletal elements, a major taxonomic character of octocorals including the Xeniidae. The modern taxonomic methods outlined here are applicable for both xeniids and octocorals in general.