Berhampur: Researchers from the Department of Marine Sciences at Berhampur University have identified a new species of amphipod, a small shrimp-like crustacean, along the Odisha coast.
The discovery was made in October last year when researchers Sriraj Nahak, Geetanjali Bhoi and Suman Patra visited Aryapalli beach as part of a research project. During the field study, they collected the amphipod from a rocky area along the shoreline.
The specimen was later brought to the department’s laboratory, where detailed examination and tests were conducted under the supervision of Assistant Professor Seshadev Patra.
Earlier, a similar species had been identified in Malaysia and was named Stenothoe lori. The species has now been recorded for the first time along the Indian coast.
According to researchers, amphipods of this species typically inhabit rocky environments and moist areas that alternate between land and water. They feed on algae and decomposed organic matter, while small fish, crabs, birds and other marine organisms prey on them.
The research findings have been published in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the University of Cambridge.
Patra said the research was supported by funding from the Odisha State Higher Education Council under the Mukhyamantri Research and Innovation Fellowship Program (MRIP). He added that since the species appears to have distinct characteristics, further research will be conducted to gather more scientific data.