has been on the Pacific, and indicates that strong efforts are needed on the
Caribbean coast. There are few studies focused directly on Asteroidea and
Holothuroidea since they generally only mentioned as part of the echinoderm
fauna of a particular region.
Ecology, taxonomy and evolution have been the main lines of investigations in
CA. These research efforts should continue, and at the same time, studies focused
on reproduction and physiology should be encouraged. Moreover, it is necessary to
start research in fisheries, aquaculture and management that help stakeholders and
authorities make decisions for more sustainable extractions. To be able to conduct
research in CA, it is necessary to support and to promote the exchange of information among the countries, as well as to fund the formation of new researchers
for this group.
Acknowledgments We would like to thank A. Bolaños, I. Wehrtmann, C. Fernández,
M. Springer, R. Vargas, F.A. Solís-Marín and the late C.G. Ahearn for their help with literature,
comments and museum access. M. Chavez for the elaboration of the figures. JJAB thanks
CONICIT, MICIT and CONACYT. We appreciate the comments made by J. Cortés, J. Lawrence
and T. Hopkins that improved this paper.
References
Agassiz A (1898) Preliminary report on the echini. Dredging operations of the Albatross. Bull
Mus Comp Zool 32:71–86
Alvarado JJ (2008) Aggregation behavior of the sea urchin Astropyga pulvinata (Lamarck, 1816)
(Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in Punta Flor, Bahía Culebra, Costa Rica. Pac Sci 62:579–592
Alvarado JJ (2010) Isla del Coco (Costa Rica) Echinoderms: State of knowledge. In: Harris LG,
Böttger SA, Walker CW, Lesser MP (eds) Echinoderms: Durham. Proceedings of the 12th
international Echinoderm conference. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, Balkema, Leiden,
pp103–113
Alvarado JJ (2011) Echinoderm diversity from the Caribbean province. Mar Biodiv 41:261–285
Alvarado JJ, Cortés J (2004) The state of knowledge on echinoderms of Costa Rica and Central
America. In: Heinzeiller T, Nebelsick JH (eds) Echinoderms: München Proceedings of the
11th international Echinoderm conference. Taylor and Francis, London, pp 149–155
Alvarado JJ, Fernández C (2005) Equinodermos del Parque Nacional Marino Ballena,
Pacífico,Costa Rica. Rev Biol Trop 53(3):275–284
Alvarado JJ, Chiriboga A (2008) Distribución y composición de los equinodermos de las aguas
someras en la Isla del Coco, Pacifico Oriental, Costa Rica. Rev Biol Trop 56(2):99–111
Alvarado JJ, Cortés J (2009) Echinoderms. In: Wehrtmann IS, Cortés J (eds) Marine biodiversity of
Costa Rica, Central America. Monographiae Biologicae, Vol 86. Springer, Berlin, pp 421–433
Alvarado JJ, Cortés J, Salas E (2004) Population densities of Diadema antillarum Philippi
(Echinodermata: Echinoidea) at Cahuita National Park (1977–2003), Costa Rica. Carib J Sci
40:257–259
Alvarado JJ, Zeledón LA, Boyd R (2006) Equinodermos fósiles de Costa Rica: notas
preliminares. Rev Biol Trop 54(1):287–299
Alvarado JJ, Fernández C, Cortés J (2009) Water quality conditions on coral reefs at the Marino
Ballena National Park, Pacific Costa Rica. Bull Mar Sci 84:137–152
Alvarado JJ, Solis-Marin FA, Ahearn C (2008) Equinodermos (Echinodermata) del Caribe
Centroamericano. Rev Biol Trop 56(3):37–55
3 Central America Echinoderms: Diversity, Ecology and Future Perspectives
99
Caribbean coast. There are few studies focused directly on Asteroidea and
Holothuroidea since they generally only mentioned as part of the echinoderm
fauna of a particular region.
Ecology, taxonomy and evolution have been the main lines of investigations in
CA. These research efforts should continue, and at the same time, studies focused
on reproduction and physiology should be encouraged. Moreover, it is necessary to
start research in fisheries, aquaculture and management that help stakeholders and
authorities make decisions for more sustainable extractions. To be able to conduct
research in CA, it is necessary to support and to promote the exchange of information among the countries, as well as to fund the formation of new researchers
for this group.
Acknowledgments We would like to thank A. Bolaños, I. Wehrtmann, C. Fernández,
M. Springer, R. Vargas, F.A. Solís-Marín and the late C.G. Ahearn for their help with literature,
comments and museum access. M. Chavez for the elaboration of the figures. JJAB thanks
CONICIT, MICIT and CONACYT. We appreciate the comments made by J. Cortés, J. Lawrence
and T. Hopkins that improved this paper.
References
Agassiz A (1898) Preliminary report on the echini. Dredging operations of the Albatross. Bull
Mus Comp Zool 32:71–86
Alvarado JJ (2008) Aggregation behavior of the sea urchin Astropyga pulvinata (Lamarck, 1816)
(Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in Punta Flor, Bahía Culebra, Costa Rica. Pac Sci 62:579–592
Alvarado JJ (2010) Isla del Coco (Costa Rica) Echinoderms: State of knowledge. In: Harris LG,
Böttger SA, Walker CW, Lesser MP (eds) Echinoderms: Durham. Proceedings of the 12th
international Echinoderm conference. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, Balkema, Leiden,
pp103–113
Alvarado JJ (2011) Echinoderm diversity from the Caribbean province. Mar Biodiv 41:261–285
Alvarado JJ, Cortés J (2004) The state of knowledge on echinoderms of Costa Rica and Central
America. In: Heinzeiller T, Nebelsick JH (eds) Echinoderms: München Proceedings of the
11th international Echinoderm conference. Taylor and Francis, London, pp 149–155
Alvarado JJ, Fernández C (2005) Equinodermos del Parque Nacional Marino Ballena,
Pacífico,Costa Rica. Rev Biol Trop 53(3):275–284
Alvarado JJ, Chiriboga A (2008) Distribución y composición de los equinodermos de las aguas
someras en la Isla del Coco, Pacifico Oriental, Costa Rica. Rev Biol Trop 56(2):99–111
Alvarado JJ, Cortés J (2009) Echinoderms. In: Wehrtmann IS, Cortés J (eds) Marine biodiversity of
Costa Rica, Central America. Monographiae Biologicae, Vol 86. Springer, Berlin, pp 421–433
Alvarado JJ, Cortés J, Salas E (2004) Population densities of Diadema antillarum Philippi
(Echinodermata: Echinoidea) at Cahuita National Park (1977–2003), Costa Rica. Carib J Sci
40:257–259
Alvarado JJ, Zeledón LA, Boyd R (2006) Equinodermos fósiles de Costa Rica: notas
preliminares. Rev Biol Trop 54(1):287–299
Alvarado JJ, Fernández C, Cortés J (2009) Water quality conditions on coral reefs at the Marino
Ballena National Park, Pacific Costa Rica. Bull Mar Sci 84:137–152
Alvarado JJ, Solis-Marin FA, Ahearn C (2008) Equinodermos (Echinodermata) del Caribe
Centroamericano. Rev Biol Trop 56(3):37–55
3 Central America Echinoderms: Diversity, Ecology and Future Perspectives
99