Suboxic waters of the eastern Arabian Sea shelter secondary chlorophyll maximum dominated by heterotrophic dinoflagellate Pronoctiluca spp. (order Noctilucales).

In the present study, we investigated the dinoflagellate assemblages in the upper water column (< 150-m depth), focusing on the suboxic waters of the eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) along 68°E from 8°N to 21°N during the southwest monsoon 2020 (SWM-2020). Dinoflagellate abundance was higher in the upper water column (0-80-m depth, mean ± SD = 411 ± 903 cells L) compared to deeper waters (80-150-m depth, mean ± SD = 128 ± 216 cells L). Among 11 identified taxonomic dinoflagellate orders, Peridinales were predominant in the upper waters column (71%, mean ± SD = 285 ± 858 cells L).

Characterization of phytoplankton functional groups in a tropical shellfish harvesting estuary (Ashtamudi) and adjacent nearshore waters (southwest coast of India).

A pioneering study on phytoplankton marker pigments, by adopting the HPLC-CHEMTAX analytical approach, was carried out in one of the major shellfish harvesting estuaries (Ashtamudi estuary-AE) on the southwest coast of India and also its adjacent nearshore waters (< 20 m depth) to study the dynamics of phytoplankton functional groups (PFGs). The AE, in general, appeared to be warm (> 29 °C) during the non-monsoon seasons, along with the prevalence of higher salinity (> 25) and NH-N (> 5 µM) levels. However, during the summer monsoon (SM), the prevailing substantial river influx converted the AE into a low salinity (< 10) dominated system, provided with enhanced levels of NO-N (4.

Biotic interaction as the triggering factor for blooms under favourable conditions in tropical estuarine systems.

The formation of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the marine environment is detrimental to the ecosystem function affecting the sequence of biological events. Hence, the present study is focused on the seasonal distribution of HAB-forming diatoms and dinoflagellates and their ecological interactions in two tropical estuaries, namely Chapora and Sal in the west coast of India. A total of 17 species of diatoms belonging to nine genera and 13 species of dinoflagellates belonging to eight genera were recorded from the present study (monsoon and non-monsoon season).

Transcutaneous blepharoplasty in blepharochalasis.

Blepharochalasis is a rare degenerative disease of skin of lids. We report 3 cases of blepharochalasis, out of which two involved upper eyelids and one involved lower eyelids. All the three cases were treated with transcutaneous blepharoplasty with acceptable cosmetic results.