Underwater ecological observations in the Gulf of Mannar, off Tuticorin

Abstract

While surveying the fauna and flora of the sea bottom off Tuticorin with the help of self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) the authors had observed on many occasions a juvenile carangid, Gnathanodon speciosus (Forslal) flanking a sea-snake which also had yellow body with black annuh round its body i.e. the same pattern of body colouration as that of the fish. The authors are not aware of any acxotmt of a fish associated with the sea snake and therefore it is felt that observations on this instance would be of some interest