Occurrence of Live Rhodolith Bed of Lithophyllum kotschyanum Unger (Corallinaceae:Lithophylloideae) in Palk Bay:First Record from India

Rhodoliths are nodular form of marine free-living, non-geniculate, crustose coralline red algae, resembling the corals. The communities, in which they dominate are referred to as ‘rhodolith beds’, ‘rhodolites’ or ‘maerl’. Rhodoliths assume different sizes, shapes and forms (small thalli-like, twig-like, large round shaped, branching/unbranching, etc.) based on different factors such as water motion, bioturbation, grazing, fouling, bleaching, etc..