Berhampur: Researchers have achieved a groundbreaking milestone by discovering a new species of marine parasitic isopod in the coastal waters of Odisha.The species,named Lobothorax bharat,belongs to the family Cymothoidae.The name pays tribute to Bharat(India),the cherished motherland of all the authors involved in this discovery, where this unique specimen was found said Anil mohapatra, scientist of zoological survey of india(ZSI),Gopalpur on sea.The discovery was made through a collaborative effort by faculty,researchers and scientists from the Post Graduate Department of Zoology,Berhampur University and ZSI.The research team was led by Dr.Jaya Kishor Seth,along with research scholars Sandeep Kumar Mohapatra and Sanmitra Roy and scientists Basudev Tripathy(ZSI,Pune) and Anil Mohapatra (ZSI, Gopalpur-on-Sea).The isopod species was collected during surveys along the Odisha coast from the Bahabalpur and Gopalpur fish landing centers.A total of six specimens were retrieved from the host fish Trichiurus lepturus(family Trichiuridae).The newly discovered isopod is a buccal-attaching parasite that affixes itself to the tongue of its host species. Fresh specimens are creamy white, turning yellowish-brown or dark brown upon preservation. Lobothorax bharat is distinguished by several unique features, including,A sub-truncate anterior margin of the cephalon,Anterolateral processes of pereonite 1 that do not extend beyond the cephalon’s anterior margin,A prominent mid-dorsal longitudinal ridge on the surface of both the pereon and pleon,A distinct depression in the middle of pereonite,Maxilliped palp article 3 bearing three recurved robust setae.Genetic analysis reveals a 2.5–2.6% difference from Lobothorax typus and a 23.9–32.2% variation from other related species.Parasitic isopods are known to infect marine and estuarine fishes, adversely impacting their growth. This, in turn, affects aquaculture industries and their productivity.Understanding the biology of parasitic isopods is crucial for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management and improved aquaculture practices.Further research is needed to understand the evolutionary patterns and the biology of the Lobothorax bharat.The study was funded by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation(ANRF),Government of India and published in the premier taxonomy journal Zootaxa.
