Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute

Maize (Zea mays L.) growth and productivity are strongly influenced by temperature and seasonal climatic conditions that regulate crop phenology and thermal energy utilization. However, limited information is available on seasonal variability of thermal indices and heat use efficiency of maize under different varieties and nutrient management practices in the Tarai region of Uttarakhand. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at the N.E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, Pantnagar during the winter (November 2024-April 2025) and spring (February-June 2025) seasons to evaluate seasonal effects on thermal indices, phenology and heat use efficiency of maize. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three maize varieties (PCM-04, DKC-9081 and DKC-9188) as main plot treatments and four nutrient management levels as subplots: T1-control (no fertilizer), T2-vermicompost (80:20), T3-poultry manure (80:20) and T4-recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers (RDF). Temperature-based indices including Growing Degree Days (GDD), Heliothermal Units (HTU), Photothermal Units (PTU) and Heat Use Efficiency (HUE) were computed. Spring maize accumulated higher thermal units (GDD 1691.45 °C Day, HTU 14327.25 and PTU 21830.23) and recorded higher grain yield (9373.04 kg ha⁻¹) than winter maize (GDD 1303.38 °C Day, HTU 9824.29, PTU 14733.81; yield 7305.00 kg ha⁻¹). Spring maize also matured earlier (92-110 days) compared to winter maize (132-151 days). The treatment V₃F₄ (DKC-9188 with RDF) recorded the highest grain yield and heat use efficiency in both seasons. The results indicate that improved varieties combined with optimum nutrient management enhance thermal resource utilization and maize productivity under different seasonal environments.

Goldflag jobfish Pristipomoides auricilla (Jordan, Evermann and Tanaka, 1927) and goldbanded jobfish Pristipomoides multidens (Day, 1871) were recently recorded from the southeastern Arabian Sea, marking an occasional occurrence. The samples of P. auricilla and P. multidens were collected from the hook and line fishery off Kochi, southwest coast of India and described here based on the morphometric and meristic characteristics. P. auricilla is distinguished by a triangular vomerine tooth patch, 73–74 lateral-line scales, and 28 gill rakers (10 + 18), whereas P. multidens differs by having 51 lateral-line scales, 19 gill rakers (8 + 11), and two prominent golden bands on the snout and cheek. This study provides specimen-based confirmation of P. auricilla from the southeastern Arabian Sea and clarifies its range extension into Indian waters, while also documenting the verified occurrence of P. multidens at Kochi—where it had not been previously collected—along with comparative diagnostic features for accurate identification. The insights from this work are vital for effective fishery management and conservation strategies, particularly in the context of India’s rich but underexplored marine ecosystems. Furthermore, this research contributes to global efforts in monitoring and assessing deep-water snapper species.

Sea surface temperature (SST) thermal fronts in eastern Indonesian waters are strongly modulated by monsoonal winds and regional interactions. Previous studies have mainly focused on the northern Arafura Sea and the Banda Sea, where strong upwelling and large-scale circulation dominate. In contrast, the southwestern Arafura Sea relatively understudied, despite its shallow continental shelf and strong exposure to seasonal monsoonal winds and ENSO-related climate variability. This study investigated the spatial and temporal variability of SST thermal fronts in the southwestern Arafura Sea under contrasting monsoonal phases and ENSO conditions. OSTIA product used to calculate horizontal SST gradients as indicators of surface thermal fronts, while wind forcing was analyzed using ERA5 reanalysis data. The results indicate that monsoonal circulation exerts the primary control on the intensity and distribution of SST thermal fronts, with ENSO acting as a secondary modulator. During the Southeast Monsoon, stronger southeasterly winds and enhanced surface cooling generate more intense and widespread frontal activity, particularly during La Niña events. In contrast, frontal signatures weaken during the Northwest Monsoon, when wind forcing and upwelling are reduced. These findings highlight the combined influence of seasonal monsoonal forcing and large- scale climate variability on SST thermal front dynamics in the southwestern Arafura Sea.

Sea slugs in Karnataka's marine ecosystems have been understudied, resulting in limited documentation. To address this gap, extensive field surveys were conducted across the rocky reefs and off-shore patchy reefs of Karnataka, extending up to a depth of 38 m. During the surveys nine sea slug species were documented, representing four genera (Goniobranchus, Phyllidia, Coryphellina, and Elysia), belonging to four families (Chromodorididae, Phyllidiidae, Flabellinidae, and Plakobranchidae). Six of the nine species recorded are new additions to the sea slug fauna of the Karnataka Coast. By combining data from the current surveys with historical records, an annotated checklist of 36 species of sea slugs found in Karnataka was compiled. Keywords: Annotated checklist, Rocky reefs, Marine ecosystems, Patchy reefs

This study reports a noteworthy range extension of the freshwater halfbeak Hyporhamphus xanthopterus (Valenciennes, 1847) from the Western Ghats of India, with the first confirmed record from the Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu. This discovery significantly expands the known distribution of the species within Indian freshwater ecosystems. This study presents the first molecular validation of H. xanthopterus from Indian waters, integrating mitochondrial DNA data with detailed morphometric and meristic analyses. The findings contribute to resolving taxonomic ambiguities within the genus Hyporhamphus, provide refined diagnostic criteria for accurate species identification and offer new insights into the biogeographical distribution of this poorly understood taxon. These results establish a valuable baseline for future taxonomic, phylogenetic and conservation-oriented research on freshwater halfbeaks in South Asia. Keywords: Cauvery River, Freshwater ecosystems, Meristic counts, Mitochondrial CO1, Molecular validation, Morphometry