Echinoderm fauna of the proposed national marine park in the Gulf of Mannar

Abstract

Marine Parks are national assets with a wide variety of uses. They also serve as sanctuaries for endangered marine animals. A full knowledge of the marine parks such as their history, geology, hydrology and its fauna and flora are essential to understand and monitor their valuable resources. The author has collected nearly 100 species of echinoderms belonging to all the five classes from the proposed National marine park area in the Gulf of Mannar. A list of the species is given with comments on some of the species life Holothuria scabra and H. spinifera which are likely to be endangered as a result of exclusive exploitation.