Indiaphonte bijoyi: New genus and species of crustacean discovered in Lakshadweep

A microscopic crustacean discovered in Lakshadweep is formally recognised as a new genus and new species.
It is named Indiaphonte bijoyi, discovered from the Kavaratti lagoon, and is in the news due to its formal taxonomic recognition.

Indiaphonte bijoyi (New Genus & New Species: Crustacean)

Dimension	Key Details
Scientific name	Indiaphonte bijoyi
Taxonomic status	Formally recognised as a new genus and a new species
Genus nomenclature	The genus name Indiaphonte honours India
Species nomenclature	The species name bijoyi honours S. Bijoy Nandan, Dean, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat)
Discovery location	Discovered from the Kavaratti lagoon, Lakshadweep
Habitat	Lives in sediments of aquatic environments, including lagoon ecosystems
Distribution	Kavaratti lagoon, Lakshadweep islands; south-eastern Arabian Sea off India’s south-west coast ( known for high meiofaunal diversity)
Size and visibility	Microscopic crustacean, observable only under a microscope
Meiofauna classification	Part of meiofauna (invertebrate animals <1 mm)
Morphological characteristics	Body partly cylindrical and slightly flattened; broader in the middle and narrows towards the back; males and females look almost the same (rare in this group); identified by distinct features in swimming legs, tail part and antennae
Ecological importance	Contributes to marine and freshwater ecosystem health
Omega-3 fatty acids	Produces and converts omega-3 fatty acids including Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) that support fish and shellfish growth
Bio-indicator relevance	Acts as a bio-indicator due to sensitivity to pollution, oil spills, heavy metals and climate change
Aquaculture and fisheries	Used as live feed for fish larvae