Paralomis White, 1856 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) from India, with morphological variability in Paralomis indica Alcock & Anderson, 1899

Deep-water king crabs of the genus Paralomis White, 1856 collected during three cruises of the Fishery Oceanographic Research Vessel Sagar Sampada in the western Bay of Bengal (528–777 m depths), one cruise in the eastern Bay of Bengal off Great Nicobar Island (337 m depth), and four cruises in the southeastern Arabian Sea (315–1245 m) were identified. They are referred to Paralomis ceres Macpherson, 1989, recorded for the first time from Indian waters and P. indica Alcock & Anderson, 1899, reported for the first time from the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. In addition, this study reports the morphological variability among the P. indica populations in the shape of the carapace and dorsal rostral spines, nature of the branchial and cardiac regions and abdominal marginal spines, and the relative lengths of pereopods 2–4. Mitochondrial Cytochrome oxidase I (594 base pairs) and 16S rRNA (503 bp) gene sequences of P. ceres and P. indica (602 and 497 bp, respectively) revealed that they formed distinct lineages. A key to the Indian Ocean species of Paralomis is provided.

Respiratory Viruses Among Ethnic Nicobarese During COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) are public health burdens globally. The percentage of non-SARS CoV-2 respiratory viruses among patients having ARI and SARI who visit Car Nicobar's hospital settings is undocumented. Changes in the epidemiology of other respiratory viruses during COVID19 pandemic is being reported worldwide.Methods: Inpatient and outpatient settings at BJR hospital, Car Nicobar Island, India, were used to conduct prospective monitoring for ARI and SARI among Nicobarese tribal members. The patients with ARI and SARI were enlisted in BJR hospital from June 2019 to May 2021. At the ICMR-NIV in Pune, duplex qRTPCR assays were used to test the presence of respiratory viruses. The prevalence of non- SARS CoV-2 respiratory viruses was measured by comparing here between pandemic and pre-pandemic periods.Results: During the COVID19 pandemic, Influenza A (H3N2) (55.7%), and rhinovirus (12.5%) were predominantly reported non-SARS CoV-2 respiratory viruses while Human metapneumovirus (48.1%) and influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 (18.5%) were most commonly reported in the prepandemic period. This result indicates the altered circulation of non-SARS CoV-2 during pandemic.Conclusions: A considerable proportion of respiratory infection was correlated with respiratory viruses. Prevalence of non-SARS CoV-2 respiratory viruses was high at the time of infection when compared with pre-pandemic period, at Car Nicobar Island. This study enlightened the change in circulation of other respiratory viruses among the indigenous Nicobarese tribes. Clinicians and allied medical staff should be more prudent of these respiratory infections.

A new species in the genus Chadisra Walker (Notodontidae: Periergosinae) from the Great Nicobar Island, India

A new species, Chadisra curvipenis N. Singh, Ahmad & Raha, sp. nov. is described from the Great Nicobar Island, India, and its detailed description along with habitus images, male genitalia illustrations and diagnoses with similar congeners are provided. A complete checklist of the genus with distributional records and a distribution map are given.

Resolving the Lourinia armata (Claus, 1866) complex with remarks on the monophyletic status of Louriniidae, Monard 1927 (Copepoda: Harpacticoida)

An attempt was made to test if Lourinia armata (Claus, 1866)—as it is currently diagnosed—represents a species complex. Detailed examination and comparisons of several specimens collected from different localities suggest that L. armata indeed represents a complex of four closely related morphospecies that can be differentiated from one another by only detailed observations. One of the four species is identified as Lourinia aff. armata and the other three species are described as new to science and named as Lourinia wellsi sp. nov., L. gocmeni sp. nov., and L. aldabraensis sp. nov. Detailed review of previous species records indicates that the genus Lourinia Wilson, 1924 is distributed worldwide. Ceyloniella nicobarica Sewell, 1940, originally described from Nicobar Island and previously considered a junior subjective synonym of L. armata is reinstated as Lourinia nicobarica (Sewell, 1940) comb. nov. on the basis of the unique paddle-shaped caudal ramus seta V. It is postulated that almost all of these records are unreliable in terms of representing true Lourinia aff. armata described herein. On the other hand, the comparative evaluation of the illustrations and descriptions in the published literature indicates the presence of several new species waiting to be discovered in the genus Lourinia. It has been determined that, according to updated modern keys, the recent inclusion of the monotypic genus Archeolourinia Corgosinho & Schizas, 2013 in the Louriniidae is not justified since Archeolourinia shermani Corgosinho & Schizas, 2013 does not belong to this family but should be assigned to the Canthocamptidae. On the other hand, it has been argued that the exact phylogenetic position of the Louriniidae still remains problematic since none of the diagnostic characters supports the monophyly of the family within the Oligoarthra. It has also been argued that the close relationship between Louriniidae and Canthocamptidae is supported since both families share the homologous sexual dimorphism (apophysis) on P3 endopod. The most important characteristic that can possibly be used to define Louriniidae is the reduction of maxilliped.

A new species of Helmutkunzia Wells & Rao, 1976 from an intertidal sandy beach in Xiamen, China and proposal of Pseudobalucopsylla gen. nov. (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Miraciidae)

A new species of the genus Helmutkunzia Wells & Rao, 1976 (Miraciidae) is described from specimens collected from an intertidal sandy beach in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China. Helmutkunzia xiamenensis sp. nov. differs from its two congeners by the length/width ratio of the female P5 exopod, the number or length of the setae on the sexually dimorphic P2 endopod in the male and the relative length of the spines on the endopodal lobe of the male P5. The Chinese species is morphologically closest to H. variabilis Wells & Rao, 1987 from the Andaman and Nicobar island chain. Females of both species can readily be differentiated by the relative length of the P5 exopod while males can be differentiated by the length of the armature elements on P2 enp-2 and the endopodal lobe of P5. The genus Balucopsylla Rao, 1972 is reviewed, resulting in the proposal of Pseudobalucopsylla gen. nov. to accommodate the type species Balucopsylla triarticulata Wells & Rao, 1987 and three new Indo-Pacific species previously identified with it: P. obscura sp. nov. from the Andaman Islands, P. costaricensis sp. nov. from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and P. mielkei sp. nov. from the Galápagos archipelago. A key to species of Pseudobalucopsylla sp. nov. is provided.

A Rare Case of a Knee Septic Arthritis by Burkholderia pseudomallei : A Case Report from a Tertiary Care Hospital of Andaman and Nicobar Island

Introduction: Melioidosis is an infection caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is more frequent in Southeast Asia and Australia but less prevalent in India. Melioidosis-related septic arthritis is extremely rare and should be considered a differential diagnosis in any patient presenting with septic arthritis in endemic locations. Case Report: Here is a case report of a 42-year-old male from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands who presented with a history of fever along with knee swelling. He had a history of uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus. Following an emergency arthrotomy, a synovial fluid culture revealed B. pseudomallei, and the patient gradually recovered after receiving ceftazidime via parenteral administration. Conclusion: This case not only highlights the possibilities of Melioidotic septic arthritis but also validates the importance of prompt administration of appropriate antibiotics for faster recovery from the rare organism B. pseudomallei. Keywords: Septic arthritis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Melioidosis.