Indiaphonte Bijoyi

Indiaphonte Bijoyi Latest News

Recently, a microscopic crustacean was discovered in Kavaratti which has been named Indiaphonte bijoyi, with the generic name Indiaphonte.

About Indiaphonte Bijoyi

• It is a tiny crustacean discovered from the Kavaratti lagoon in the Lakshadweep islands.
• It belongs to the family Laophontidae within the Copepoda class.
• Habitat: It lives in sediments in aquatic environments.

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Characteristics of Indiaphonte Bijoyi

• It has a semi-cylindrical, depressed body that is wider in the middle and tapering towards the posterior.
• It also has antennae-like appendages at the front.
• The females are slightly larger than the males.
• It is essentially Meiofauna, tiny invertebrate animals less than 1 millimetre in size.

Key Facts about Laophontidae

• It is the most diverse family with 350 species across 77 genera within the order Harpacticoida. 
• They are microscopic in size and play a vital role in maintaining the health of marine and freshwater ecosystems.
• Ecological Role
  • They are sensitive to pollution, oil spills, heavy metals, and climate change and are considered reliable bio-indicators of environmental change.
  • They are widely used in aquaculture and fisheries, especially as live feed for fish larvae.
  • They produce and convert omega-3 fatty acids such as Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) that are essential for the growth of fish and shellfish and contribute significantly to human nutritional security.

Source: TH