D. Taxonomic Characterization of the Motile Megabenthic Invertebrates
from Deep Reef Habitats of PR and the USVI
1. Echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata)
The Phylum Echinodermata includes four main classes of organisms that have been
collected from deep reef habitats in waters of Puerto Rico and the USVI. The main
sources of these collections include the initial dredge sampling from the H. M. S.
Challenger in 1873 off St. Thomas, samplings of the “Fish Hawk” in the west, north and
eastern shelf and slope of Puerto Rico, including the Islands of Vieques, Culebra and St.
Thomas in 1899; and the samplings bt the Yatch Caroline of the Johnson-Smithsonian
Expedition of 1933. Other minor collections include several stations dredged by the R/V
Oregon in 1959 within the west coast of PR, and the R/V Pillsbury, which sampled Isla
de Vieques and the Puertorrican Trench (north of PR) between 1969 and 1971. A total
of 134 species of echinoderms have been reported. The brittlestars (Class Ophiuroidea)
are the most specious taxonomic group collected in deep water habitats with 69 species
(Table 18).
Table 18. Taxonomic record of echinoderms collected from depths of at least 30 m in waters
of Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Modified from the Smithsonian Museum
of Natural History data base.
Species
Depth
Locality
Expedition
Class Asteroidea
Anthenoides piercei
7956
Puerto Rico Trench
Pillsbury, 1971
Astropecten cingulatus
457
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Astropecten cingulatus
293
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Cheiraster (Cheiraster) sepitus
1510
San Juan, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Henricia sp.
329
Boqueron, PR
Oregon, 1959
Litonotaster intermedius
1510
San Juan, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Luidia ludwigi scotti
7956
Puerto Rico Trench
Pillsbury, 1971
Nymphaster arenatus
1510
San Juan, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Odinia antillensis
622
Mayaguez, PR
Caroline, 1933
Plutonaster efflorescens
1510
San Juan, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Pseudarchaster sp.
457
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Tamaria halperni
329
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Thoracaster cylindratus
4366
Vieques Island, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Zoroaster fulgens
229
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Zoroaster fulgens
421
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
68
from Deep Reef Habitats of PR and the USVI
1. Echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata)
The Phylum Echinodermata includes four main classes of organisms that have been
collected from deep reef habitats in waters of Puerto Rico and the USVI. The main
sources of these collections include the initial dredge sampling from the H. M. S.
Challenger in 1873 off St. Thomas, samplings of the “Fish Hawk” in the west, north and
eastern shelf and slope of Puerto Rico, including the Islands of Vieques, Culebra and St.
Thomas in 1899; and the samplings bt the Yatch Caroline of the Johnson-Smithsonian
Expedition of 1933. Other minor collections include several stations dredged by the R/V
Oregon in 1959 within the west coast of PR, and the R/V Pillsbury, which sampled Isla
de Vieques and the Puertorrican Trench (north of PR) between 1969 and 1971. A total
of 134 species of echinoderms have been reported. The brittlestars (Class Ophiuroidea)
are the most specious taxonomic group collected in deep water habitats with 69 species
(Table 18).
Table 18. Taxonomic record of echinoderms collected from depths of at least 30 m in waters
of Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands. Modified from the Smithsonian Museum
of Natural History data base.
Species
Depth
Locality
Expedition
Class Asteroidea
Anthenoides piercei
7956
Puerto Rico Trench
Pillsbury, 1971
Astropecten cingulatus
457
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Astropecten cingulatus
293
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Cheiraster (Cheiraster) sepitus
1510
San Juan, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Henricia sp.
329
Boqueron, PR
Oregon, 1959
Litonotaster intermedius
1510
San Juan, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Luidia ludwigi scotti
7956
Puerto Rico Trench
Pillsbury, 1971
Nymphaster arenatus
1510
San Juan, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Odinia antillensis
622
Mayaguez, PR
Caroline, 1933
Plutonaster efflorescens
1510
San Juan, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Pseudarchaster sp.
457
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Tamaria halperni
329
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Thoracaster cylindratus
4366
Vieques Island, PR
Pillsbury, 1971
Zoroaster fulgens
229
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
Zoroaster fulgens
421
Mayaguez, PR
Oregon, 1959
68