A new species of the genus <i>Sagitta </i>(Phylum Chaetognatha) from the Agatti <span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN; mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-IN">lagoon (Laccadive Archipelago, Indian Ocean) with comments on endemism</span>

Abstract

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-IN">A new chaetognath <i>Sagitta madhupratapi </i>from the Agatti atoll, Laccadive Archipelago is described. The species belongs to the "hispida" group. Though collections were made from other atolls the species was found restricted to the Agatti suggesting that the species is endemic to this lagoon.It appears that isolated waters of lagoons promote speciation as this as well as another species dwelling in the area were found to be new to science. Isolation from surrounding neritic populations of chaetognaths is probably one of the reasons for endemism.</span>