New distributional records of the isopod parasite, <i>Mothocya</i> (Isopoda: Cymothoidae), from Andaman Islands, India

The present study reports the first occurrences of Mothocya collettei (Bruce, 1986) and Mothocya plagulophora (Heller, 1880) from Andaman waters. It also provides new documentation of Rüppell’s needlefish, Tylosurus choram (Rüppell, 1837), as a new host for Mothocya collettei (Bruce, 1986), and Blue-spotted cornet fish, Fistularia commersonii Rüppell, 1838, as a new host for Mothocya plagulophora (Heller, 1880) from the Andaman Sea, India. During this study, approximately 125 specimens of Hemiramphus far (Forsskål, 1775), 80 specimens of Tylosorus choram, and 13 specimens of Fistularia commersonii were examined for parasitic isopods. Of these, three H. far, two T. choram, and a single specimen of F. commersonii were found to be infested, with a prevalence of 2.4%, 2.5%, and 7.6%, respectively.