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many researchers. However, there are about
14,000 known species of class Polychaeta in the
world (Rouse and Pleijel
2006
) and 338 marine
annelids including oligochaetes in India
(Wafar et al
.
2011
). Larva and adults of some
polychaetes are important component in the
marine food chain and are reported to be excel-
lent food for many economically important
fi shes and other animals (Musale and Desai
2011
). Thus, they can be useful in determination
of marine fi shing grounds (Lloret et al.
2007
)
besides utilisation as fi shing baits (Scaps
2002
).
Since these worms are abundant and have short
lifespan besides direct contact with sediments/
water columns, they can be best regarded as
bioindicators (Dean
2008
; Sukumaran and Sarala
Devi
2009
; Sivadas et al.
2010
).
Due to high economic and ecological impor-
tance of polychaetes, many studies have been
carried out in different parts of world from tem-
perate to tropical seas (Sici
are in scattered form. Hence, we have compiled
all the records of polychaete fauna of Maharashtra
coast and presented as a systematic list along
with their distribution.
Importance of Polychaetes
Polychaetes are both ecologically and economi-
cally important as they are useful component in
the food web of marine ecosystem. They are vital
food for many important fi shes besides they are
helpful in monitoring of marine pollution as bio-
indicators. As foulers, they add extra weight to
various ships/boats, fi xed structures, etc. and may
lead to many economic consequences.
Methods
ski
2000
; Rozbaczylo
and Simonetti
2000
; Solís-Weiss et al.
2004
; La
Porta et al.
2011
). Some of the important contri-
butions to world polychaete taxonomy are that of
Day (
1967
), Fauchald (
1977
,
1992
), Sendall
(
1985
), Colbath (
1989
), Hutchings et al. (
1991
)
and Glasby (
1999
), though there are many
debates and improvements in their classifi cation
and phylogeny (Fauchald and Rouse
1997
,
1998
;
Rouse
2000
; Bakken and Wilson
2005
; Struck
et al.
2006
). In India, important systematic con-
tributions on polychaetes are from Fauvel (
1932
,
1953
), Devi et al. (
1996
), Sunil Kumar (
2001
,
2003
) and Ajmal Khan and Murugesan (
2005
).
A perusal of literature on polychaetes from
Maharashtra Coast (Fauvel
1932
,
1953
; James
et al.
1969
; Lakshmana Rao
1969
; Parulekar
1971
,
1981
; Hartman
1974
; Padmakumar
1984
;
Ansari et al.
1986
; Misra and Chakraborty
1991
;
Harkantra and Parulekar
1994
; Mathew and
Govindan
1995
; Varshney and Govindan
1995
;
Sunil Kumar
1999
,
2001
; Ingole et al.
2002
,
2008
; Wehe and Fiege
2002
; Sivadas et al.
2005
;
Ajmal Khan and Murugesan
2005
; Jayaraj et al.
2008
; Sukumaran and Sarala Devi
2009
; Gaonkar
et al.
2010a
,
b
; Swami and Udhayakumar
2010
;
Sukumaran et al.
2011
; Yokoyama and Sukumaran
2012
) revealed that the data on marine polychaetes
ń
The present study area Maharashtra (Figs.
5.1
and
5.2
) (15°43
′
13.10
″
to 20°08
′
13.30
″
N and
72°44
E) is having 6
coastal districts (Thane, Mumbai Suburban,
Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg)
stretching over 653 km long coastline. Its shore-
line is indented by many west fl owing river
mouths, creeks, bays, headlands, promontories
and cliffs. There are about 18 prominent creeks/
estuaries, many of which having mangrove
vegetation. Major portion (about 80 %) of the
Maharashtra coast is either muddy or rocky.
Polychaeta records were compiled from published
literature available for the state. The classifi cation
followed here is adopted mostly from Rouse
(
2000
), modifi ed after Fauchald and Rouse (
1997
)
and updated from Read and Fauchald (
2012
).
′
16.54
″
to 73°41
′
05.11
″
Results and Discussion
A total of 180 species and seven subspecies of
polychaetes in 113 genera in 21 subfamilies
under 41 families and six orders are recorded in
the present study. Some of the representatives of
polychaetes are presented in Fig.
5.3
. A systematic
list of polychaetes along with their distribution in
Maharashtra coast is given below.
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