New distribution record of globally threatened Ocean Turf Grass Halophila beccarii Ascherson, 1871 from the North Andaman Islands highlights the importance of seagrass exploratory surveys

Halophila beccarii, listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List, aids in seagrass and mangrove succession, acts a substrate stabilizer provides feeding grounds for mega-herbivores like dugongs. This species was first recorded from Andaman & Nicobar Islands 2015, its distribution status within archipelago remains under-investigated. We report new record of H. beccarii North Andamans shed light inter-island distribution. mixed meadow comprising Cymodocea rotundata (20.5 ± 28.8%, mean cover), Thalassia hemprichii (16.3 23.3%, Halodule pinifolia (6.3 12.1%, cover) at Pokkadera, Middle district. had highest cover (30 34.7%) shoot density (103.5 68.3 shoots/ m2) among sympatric species. also eight seagrass-associated macrofaunal groups (gastropods, bivalves, polychaetes, foraminiferans, nematodes, brachyurans, decapods asteroids) infaunal epibenthic micro-habitats meadow. Infaunal macrobenthos much higher (73.5 129.7 individuals/m2) than macrofauna (0.4 1.5 individuals/m2), possibly influenced by canopy structure biomass. Overall, gastropods were most dominant macrobenthic faunal group (overall 95.0 106.1 individuals/m2). The present findings emphasize need more exploratory surveys to understand identify priority conservation areas.