ECHINODERMS COLLECTED IN THE UPPER CONTINENTAL SLOPE OF THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN (original) (raw)
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PALAEODIVERSITY OF CARIBBEAN ECHINOIDS INCLUDING NEW MATERIAL FROM THE VENEZUELAN NEOGENE
The extensive Venezuelan coastline is very important for understanding the evolution of the Caribbean marine fauna. We report new fossil material collected from three Neogene fossil sites in the Falcón Basin and present the first diversity analysis of the known fossil echinoids from Venezuela and other Caribbean regions. Five species are reported for the first time from Venezuela. Each of the three fossil sites shows a different taxonomic composition, which may be a consequence of differing palaeoecological conditions during the Neogene. Furthermore, the environmental changes caused by the closure of the Central American Isthmus may also have played a role. The analysis of the Venezuelan echinoid fossil record, including the new herein described material, reveals three major diversity decreases and a maximal diversity peak in the Middle Miocene instead of the Eocene as it is the case in other Caribbean echinoid faunas. The first diversity decrease at the end of the Early Cretaceous, recognised by a gap in the fossil record, unfolds new research potential. The second one, around the Eocene- Oligocene boundary, is interpreted as an extinction event, as has been recognized for other echinoid and invertebrate faunas throughout the Caribbean. In contrast to other Caribbean invertebrate faunas, the cause of the third diversity decrease of echinoids throughout the Caribbean appears to be the beginning, instead of the end, of the closure of the Central American Isthmus. Although Venezuela plays a special ecological role in the Caribbean due to its seasonal upwellings, this study provides (1) a basis to better understand the fossil Venezuelan echinoid fauna, (2) a contrast to other Caribbean regions, and (3) insights into the Caribbean echinoid evolutionary patterns.
Echinoderms from Venezuela: Scientific Recount, Diversity and Distribution
Lodeiros, C.; Martín, A.; Francisco, V.; Noriega, N.; Díaz, Y.; Reyes, J.; Aguilera, O. and J. Alió (2012) Echinoderms from Venezuela: Scientific Recount, Diversity and Distribution. Chapter 7. In: J. J. Alvarado and F. A. Solís-Marín (eds.), Echinoderm Research and Diversityin Latin America, 2012
This chapter presents a historical review of the study on living and fossil species of the Phylum Echinodermata of Venezuela; most of the research has been carried out in the middle-western and eastern coasts of the country. There is currently a total of 234 species of echinoderms known from Venezuelan waters, with 97.87 % of them from the Caribbean coasts and only 2.13 % from the Atlantic coast. The following species have only been reported in the latter zone, Tethyaster vestitus (Asteroidea), Leptopentacta deichmannae (Holothuroidea), Paraster doederleini (Echinoidea) and Amphiura otteri (Ophiuroidea). The Class Asteroidea is the most diverse with 63 species (26.92 %), 40 genera, 15 families and six orders, followed by Holothuroidea with 53 species (22.65 %), 34 genera, 12 families and two orders. The Class Ophiuroidea has 52 species, 31 genera, 14 families and two orders; Echinoidea has 50 species (21.38 %), 38 genera, 22 families and ten orders, and Crinoidea with 16 species (6.84 %), 15 genera, nine families and four orders. There are fossil echinoderms in the sedimentary basin of Venezuela and their potential use as paleoecological indicators complement stratigraphic studies. Most of the recent reports of echinoderms in Venezuela are from depths between 0 and 50 m (47.42 %), followed by the depth ranges 51–199 m (26.12 %), 200–499 m (8.25 %) and more than 500 m (18.21 %). Considering the distribution of the echinoderms along the described ecoregions for the coasts of Venezuela, 29.17 % of the known species are recorded from the Eastern Upwelling ecoregion, followed by the Oceanic Islands (23.33 %) and the Central Coast (10.42 %). The lowest presence was found in the ecoregion of the Gulf of Venezuela (1.67 %). No echinoderms have been reported from Lake Maracaibo, most likely due to the low salinity of its water. Although there is no strong tradition for the consumption of echinoderms in the country, the threat of an irrational exploitation of these resources still exists, due to the increased demand of the Asian markets, the absence of evaluations of the current echinoderm populations and the lack of official norms and control for their extraction and/or commercialization. The species that has received the most attention for culturing is the sea urchin, Lytechinus variegatus, which has been used for experiments on mass production of larvae, postlarvae and juveniles. In spite of the effort allocated in the current study to identify the different echinoderm classes, families and species found in the ecoregions of Venezuela, more detailed spatial analyses should be made on the echinoderm distribution along the entire Venezuelan coast line. Such studies should generate information about their density and other population parameters, including growth, reproduction, feeding, and their relation with the surrounding biotic and abiotic parameters, as well as the evaluation of the environmental factors that influence their presence in a particular area. Este capítulo presenta una revisión histórica del estudio de las especies vivientes y fósiles del Phylum Echinodermata en Venezuela; la mayoría de las investigaciones se han realizado en las costas centroccidental y oriental del país. Hasta el presente, se conocen un total de 234 especies de equinodermos para las aguas venezolanas, estando el 97.87 % de las especies presentes en la costa caribeña y tan sólo el 2.13% de las especies en la costa Atlántica. Las siguientes especies sólo han sido reportadas en esta última zona, Tethyaster vestitus (Asteroidea), Leptopentacta deichmannae (Holothuroidea), Paraster doederleini (Echinoidea) y Amphiura otteri (Ophiuroidea). La Clase Asteroidea es la más diversa con 63 especies (26.92 %), 40 géneros, 15 familias y seis órdenes, seguida por Holothuroidea con 53 especies (22.65 %), 34 géneros, 12 familias y cuatro órdenes. La Clase Ophiuroidea presentó 52 especies, 31 géneros, 14 familias y dos órdenes; Echinoidea 50 especies, 38 géneros, 22 familias y diez órdenes y Crinoidea con 16 especies (6.84 %), 15 géneros, nueve familias y cuatro órdenes. Así mismo, se resalta la presencia de equinodermos fósiles en las cuencas sedimentarias de Venezuela y su potencial utilidad práctica como indicadores paleoecológicos complementarios a los estudios estratigráficos. La mayoría de los registros de equinodermos recientes en Venezuela han sido efectuados entre los 0 y 50 m de profundidad (47.42 %), seguido de los intervalos de profundidad 51–199 m (26.12%), 200-499 m (8.25%) y mayores de 500 m (18.21 %). En cuanto a la distribución de los equinodermos a lo largo de las ecoregiones de las costas de Venezuela, se tiene que el 29.17 % de las especies se encuentran en la ecoregión Surgencia Oriental; seguido por las Islas Oceánicas (23.33 %) y Costa Central (10.42 %). La menor presencia se encontró en la ecoregión Golfo de Venezuela (1.67 %). No se reportan equinodermos para la ecoregión Lago de Maracaibo, presumiblemente por la baja salinidad de sus aguas. Aún cuando en Venezuela no hay una fuerte tradición de consumo de equinodermos, la amenaza de explotación irracional de estos recursos persiste debido al incremento en la demanda de los mercados asiáticos, ausencia en la evaluación de las poblaciones actuales y la carencia de una normativa para la extracción y/o comercialización, o bien el control en la aplicación de dichas normas. La especie a la cual se le ha prestado más atención para el cultivo es el erizo Lytechinus variegatus, con la cual se han realizado experimentos para la producción masiva de larvas, postlarvas y juveniles. A pesar del esfuerzo dedicado en el presente análisis para ubicar las diferentes clases, familias y especies de equinodermos en las ecoregiones de Venezuela, el estudio de la distribución de los equinodermos requiere de la incorporación de análisis espaciales más detallados que incluyan toda la línea costera venezolana. Tales estudios deben generar información sobre su densidad y otros parámetros poblacionales, incluyendo crecimiento, reproducción y alimentación, así como también su interrelación con el medio biótico y abiótico circundante y la evaluación de los factores ambientales que pueden influir sobre su presencia en un área determinada.
Latin America Echinoderm Biodiversity and Biogeography: Patterns and Affinities
A. Pérez-Ruzafa, JJ Alvarado, FA Solís-Marín, JC Hernández, A. Morata, C. Marcos, M. Abreu-Pérez, O. Aguilera, J. Alió, JJ Bacallado-Aránega, E. Barraza, M. Benavides-Serrato, F. Benítez- Villalobos, L. Betancourt-Fernández, M. Borges, M. Brandt, MI Brogger, GH Borrero-Pérez, BE Buitrón-Sánchez, LS Campos, JR Cantera, S. Clemente, M. Cohen-Renfijo, SE Coppard, LV Costa-Lotufo, R. del Valle-García, ME Díaz de Vivar, JP Díaz- Martínez, Y. Díaz, A. Durán-González, L. Epherra, M. Escolar, V.
Echinoderms from the Gulf of Venezuela, north-western coast of Venezuela
Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 2021
Echinoderms are a major group of marine invertebrates that often play integral roles within the marine ecosystem. Studies about their occurrence, abundance, and distribution in Venezuela are focused in the central-eastern coasts; hence the aim of this study is to describe the echinoderm community in the north-western coast of the Gulf of Venezuela. Samples were collected from three sites in the Venezuelan Guajira Peninsula (Castilletes, Porshoure, and Kazuzain) where patchy coral reefs and seagrass meadows are abundant. According to the substrate, two methods were performed using quantitative (1 m² quadrates), and qualitative free-diving observations. All organisms were counted and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level; finally, diversity (Shannon diversity index), richness (number of species), and dominance in the different sampled substrates were recorded. The updated list of echinoderms of the Gulf of Venezuela reported in this research, includes 20 genera, 15 familie...
Revista de biología marina y oceanografía, 2012
Resumen.-Los estudios de equinodermos en el Pacífico Panameño han sido enfocados principalmente en análisis moleculares y evolutivos, y los pocos trabajos ecológicos se han enfatizado en dos especies: Diadema mexicanum y Acanthaster planci. En este trabajo, se describe por primera vez la diversidad (basado en los índices de Margalef, Shannon y Pielou), distribución y densidad de equinodermos de algunas islas del Golfo de Chiriquí, utilizando una metodología regional estandarizada para el Corredor Marino de Conservación del Pacífico Tropical Oriental. Se estudiaron 53 sitios, encontrándose 17 especies de equinodermos: 6 asteroideos, 6 equinoideos y 5 holoturoideos. Los valores promedio de los índices de riqueza de especies, diversidad de Shannon y equidad de Pielou fueron 0,43 ± 0,04, 0,187 ± 0,020, y 0,421 ± 0,035 respectivamente. En promedio se encontró 3 especies y 176 individuos por sitio. Tres especies de equinoideos fueron las más abundantes: D. mexicanum, Eucidaris thoaursii and Echinometra vanbrunti, con 7909, 771 y 569 individuos respectivamente. A pesar de dichas abundancias, su impacto, al igual que otros organismos coralívoros (e.g., A. planci), es bajo y por el momento no son consideradas como amenazas para los arrecifes de la zona. Los sitios con mayor riqueza y diversidad de especies están asociados a sitios de mayor diversidad de corales y con una cobertura de coral vivo de moderada a alta. Se sugiere la evaluación continua de las poblaciones que podrían ser perjudiciales, así como de las especies que pueden estar bajo extracción ilegal.
Echinoderm (Echinodermata) diversity in the Pacific coast of Central America
Marine Biodiversity, 2010
We present a systematic list of the echinoderms of Central America Pacific coast and offshore island, based on specimens of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., the Invertebrate Zoology and Geology collections of the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, the Museo de Zoología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José and published accounts. A total of 287 echinoderm species are recorded, distributed in 162 genera, 73 families and 28 orders. Ophiuroidea and Holothuroidea (68) are the most diverse classes, while Panama (253 species) and Costa Rica (107 species) have the highest species richness. Honduras and Guatemala show the highest species similarity, also being less rich. Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador y Nicaragua are represented by the most common nearshore species. Due to their coastal heterogeneity, Costa Rica and Panama are the richest places, with Panama also being the place where more research has been done. The current composition of echinoderms is the result of the sampling effort made in each country, recent political history and the coastal heterogeneity.