In the present paper the authors record the occurrence of two hermit crabs, Coenobita brevimanus Dana and C. rugosus H. Milne-Edwards, for the first time from the Indian coast. The records show the extended distribution of both the species of hermit crabs and suggest their possible continuous distribution from the east coast of Africa to the south-west Pacific Ocean.

The parapagurid hermit crab, Paragiopagurus ventilatus, is reported from hydrothermal vents on the Nikko Seamount, Mariana Trough, at a depth of 410 m. This is the first record of this species outside Taiwan, and represents a major range extension. The animals were found using empty tubes of the siboglinid worm Lamellibrachia satsuma for housing, representing the first example of this carcinoecium for a hermit crab. However, it was observed that some of them changed their housing to gastropod shells during rearing in aquaria. Originally, this species was reported to use gastropod shells for housing. It is considered that the use of siboglinid tubes is due to necessity rather than preference, because empty gastropod shells are very scarce in the collection site.

The present paper reports the first record of occurrence of puffer fish Torquigener brevipinnis (Regan, 1903) from the Indian coast. This extends its geographical distribution range north-west from the Indonesian coast of the eastern Indian Ocean. A systematic account of this species and a description and notes on its distribution are provided. Its relation with a similar species, T. hypselogeneion (Bleeker, 1852), described by Day, is also discussed and compared.

Recently settled turbot Psetta maxima and brill Scophthalmus rhombus are difficult to distinguish, as they are almost identical in appearance and lack the diagnostic adult characteristics. Fin ray counts, which can be used as an aid in the identification of flatfish juveniles, are reported to show some overlap between turbot and brill. 0-group flatfish were collected from sandy beaches along the west coast of Ireland by beach seining in 2009. When counted and plotted, the dorsal and anal fin ray counts clearly separated the specimens into two groups. The two groups were assumed to be brill and turbot on the basis of literature data, suggesting higher dorsal and anal fin ray counts occur in brill. This confirmed that fin ray counts can probably be used as a diagnostic tool in these 0-group flatfish from west of Ireland waters. Additionally, temporal and spatial variability in fin ray counts was also revealed in the present study, emphasizing that regional difference need to be taken into account when using this diagnostic method.

Six specimens of the slender ponyfish Equuilites elongatus were collected from a bottom trawl net operated by the RV ‘Al-Mustaqila 1’ on the Arabian Sea coast of Oman during August and September 2008. This report indicates the extension to the distribution-range of the species to the north-western Indian Ocean region.

Mantis shrimp larvae were collected by a shore seine net operated at Nagamayapalem, Visakhapatnam, India at a depth of 10–12 m during the early hours of 20 March 2008. Larvae were classified into one group and were identified to a single species of the genus Harpiosquilla. Although mantis shrimp larvae have been found in these waters, there have been no studies that identify them to the species level.