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The background colour of the fibreglass tanks attributed to their significant correlation with light intensity and spectrum serves as one of the major factors influencing growth performance and stress levels of cultured fish. Moreover, it plays a key role in the successful production of the cultured species, which is challenging under confinement conditions. On the other hand, Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) has received significant attention among researchers due to its high‐profit value and growing demand in the global market. Hence, the current study was designed to investigate the effects of different tank background colours (white, red, black and blue) on growth indices, body composition, digestive enzymes, haematological parameters, expression of stress and growth‐related factors in L. calcarifer. Therefore, fish (160.90 ± 6.0 g) were distributed into 12 fibreglass tanks (250‐L) including four treatments in triplicates and were reared for 6 weeks. According to the present results, the highest specific growth rate was observed in fish raised in red‐coloured tank followed by white and black tanks. Maximum weight gain (WG) and high protein efficiency ratio (PER) were observed in fish raised in red‐coloured tank followed by white‐, black‐ and blue‐coloured tanks, respectively. Modulation of the main digestive enzymes was observed across four treatments indicating different strategies for the utilization of nutrients by fish. Fish from red‐ and white‐coloured tanks showed a lower level of cortisol and higher levels of heat shock protein (HSP70) when compared to the other groups. The present findings indicate that red colour is the most suitable background colour for rearing Asian sea bass juveniles followed by white colour compared with the other ones.

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Sesarmid crab, Muradium tetragonum, considered a key detritus consumer plays a significant role in the nutrient cycling and energy flow in most of the mangrove environments. Morphological and ultrastructural organization of the M. tetragonum male reproductive system are characterized through transmission electron microscopic studies. Adult males (3.2–4.2 cm) with dark violet carapace and white‐tipped cheliped were procured alongside the coastal areas of Tanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The morphological analysis highlights the male gonads to be bilaterally symmetrical and anterolaterally located inside the cephalothorax. A pair of elongated testes lying attached to the hypodermis of the carapace leads to a long highly coiled vas deferens categorized into three distinct regions (Proximal vas deferens, Middle vas deferens and distal vas deferens) structurally and functionally with Posterior vas deferens receiving sac‐like accessory glands. It gets followed by an ejaculatory duct and ends with the penile papillae at the coxae's base of the fifth peripod. Structural modifications were observed in the ultrastructure of vas deferens envisage (considering) its functional role in storing spermatophores, active absorption and assisting the secretory activity. Spermatophores, witnessed as spherical bodies are bounded by a dense double wall. Aflagellate, immotile and spherical spermatozoa that measuring 3.6 μm in diameter encompasses a complex acrosome cupped by a nucleus. Moreover, perforatorium and the extending nuclear arms with chromatin, as displayed in the experimental organism M. tetragonum, are in synergy with that of certain brachyurans as specified in the study. Hence, the current study assessing the morphology and ultrastructure parameters of the male gonads could be useful in understanding the physiology of sexual maturation, annual cyclic changes, tracing the phylogenetic relationship among species and enhancing the brood‐stock management.

The abundance, dominance and diversity of the arachnid population are influenced by their habitat’s microclimate and environmental variables. Here we evaluated a seasonal dominance, diversity and richness pattern of the arachnid population and their guild composition in the Muthupet mangrove forest. Most of the spiders were aggregated from specific mangrove plants such as Avicennia and Rhizophora species by adopting standard hand-picking and net-sweeping methods and employing bark traps, pitfall traps and leaf litter traps. A total of 14 families, 29 genera and 47 species of arachnids were recorded. The sequence of the abundance of the families was: Araneidae > Tetragnathidae > Lycosidae > Salticidae > Oxyopidae > Eresidae > Liniphidae > Clubionidae > Sparassidae > Uloboridae > Hersilidae > Gnaphosidae = Thomisidae > Miturgidae. The annual average population density of spiders was maximum (36.13%) during the post-monsoon (January, February, and March) and summer seasons. The minimum seasonal mean population density was during the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods, attributed to the changes in temperature, relative humidity and rainfall. The Muthupet mangrove forest registered six types of guilds. The dominant group was orb-weavers (62.44%), followed by foliage runners (15.11%). The rest of the guilds were represented by tunnel web builders (15.78%), ground runners (2.23%), communal web weavers (4.41%), and ambushers (0.03%). Thus, changes in environmental parameters produced alterations in arachnid abundance and diversity. Moreover, the predatory potential of the arachnids relies chiefly on the composition of spider assemblages, which in turn, gets impacted by abiotic factors of its environment.

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Background: Solanum pubescens Willd, growing wild in the hills of Rayadurg jurisdiction of Southwestern Andhra Pradesh, has gained significant attention among researchers for its diverse folkloric applications, existence of novel phytochemicals and leaf extracts which hold great medicinal promises. To date, the S. pubescens fruit’s essential oil (SPO) has never been investigated. Methods: The current research has been focused to evaluate the chemical composition of S. pubescens fruit essential oil through Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), followed by the investigation of antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and wound healing activities in appropriate models to uncover its biological potentials. Extraction of (Solanopuboil/SPO) from the fresh unripe fruits of Solanum pubescens was carried out in Buchner funnel and Whatman no.10 filter paper and concentrated at 40oC using a rotary evaporator. The metabolic profiling of SPO was analysed by GC–MS technique. The MIC, MBC, activity index, and total antimicrobial activity of SPO were evaluated using standard procedures. Anti-inflammatory activity of SPO was screened using Carrageenan induced paw oedema and Cotton pellet-induced granuloma. Tail immersion test, Acetic acid writhing response and Formalin paw lick test was performed in rats in order to examine the analgesic activity of SPO. Wound healing activity of SPO was investigated by performing the incision wound model, Excision wound model and Dead space wound model in rats. Results: The SPO displayed a constant degree of antimicrobial activity against B. cereus, B. subtilis, E. coli, A. niger, A. fumigatus and C. albicans with significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Also, a prominent wound healing potential of it was observed in excision, incision and dead space wound models with considerable elevation in granulation tissue hydroxyproline, hexuronic acid and hexosamine content in association with remarkable regulation of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant markers i.e., Lipid peroxidase (LPO), Nitric Oxide (NO), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione (GSH), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx). Conclusion: These findings strongly validate the therapeutic potential of S. pubescens fruit essential oil in antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory mediated wound healing and suggests its promising application as valuable and novel indigenous leads in the food and pharmaceutical industries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first-ever investigatory report on the systematic phytochemical and therapeutic examination of S. pubescens fruit essential oil.