Funding: Kerala Agricultural University. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no competing interestsAcknowledgements: We thank Neelesh Dahanukar and George Tom for the help with the data analysis, Sreehari, R, who prepared the map used in this paper and the anonymous reviewers for their critical comments which greatly improved the manuscript. We also thank the Dean, College of Forestry for the encouragement and support and the Kerala Agricultural University for the financial support for the conduct of the study. We acknowledge field assistance and the other help rendered by Lakshmy,A., Renisha,J.M., Jayasooryan, Devika,V.S., Navya T Nambiar, Sreekumar, E.R., Abha Manohar K, and Parvathy Venugopal. Sneha, C. and Vishnu, R. helped us in identifying the tree species in the sacred groves. The assistance and the support of the local trackers are also greatly acknowledged. We also thank the villagers of the study locations in Kannur and Kasargode for their excellent hospitality and co-operation.

In order to study the nutritive value and patterns of variation in biochemical composition of Mesopodopsis zeylanica, the protein, carbohydrate and lipid content of freshly caught mature males, immature males, spent females, brooding females, immature females and juveniles for two seasons were determined. The biochemical composition reveals high nutritional quality of mysid and it varies with different seasons and developmental stages. Among the biochemical composition, protein was the principal component. Significant differences were observed in protein, carbohydrate and lipid content between different developmental stages. Trophic conditions and reproductive strategy were the major factors that determine the seasonal patterns of variation in biochemical composition. Mature males and females showed higher protein content than other stages, while carbohydrate content was high in immature stages, and lipid content was high in brooding females.