1942, 1955; Deichmann 1941, 1958). In 1915 Mortensen spent several months
collecting echinoderms and other invertebrates in the Gulf of Panama, including
from St. Elmo in the Pearl Islands Archipelago and the islands of Taboga and
Taboguilla in Panama Bay. His findings were later included in a broader work on
larval development (Mortensen 1921) and as part of his monumental monograph
on echinoids (Mortensen 1928, 1935, 1940, 1943a, b, 1948a, b, 1950, 1951). Other
researchers in the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s made collection trips to specific regions in
Panama (e.g. Boone 1928, Clark 1946) focusing more on specific taxa. In later
years echinoderms were collected from the Caribbean Sea off Panama as part of
general benthic sampling expeditions undertaken by the RV Oregon in 1962, the
RV Pelican in 1963, the RV Oregon II in 1970, the RV Pillsbury in 1971 and the
RV Alpha Helix in 1977.
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) established its first field
station on Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal Zone in 1923. The marine
program at STRI began fifty-one years ago, in 1961. Today STRI runs two field
stations on the Caribbean Coast (Galeta Marine Laboratory in Colón and Bocas del
Toro Research Station) and two in the Pacific (Naos Island Laboratories complex and
a Field Station on Ranchería Island, Coibita). The first research vessel was acquired
by STRI in 1970, the 65-ft RV Tethys (1970–1972), followed by the 45-foot RV
Stenella in 1972 (1972–1978) and the 63-foot RV Benjamin in 1978 (1978–1994).
These research vessels allowed STRI scientists to collect and document the shallow
water echinoderm fauna. In 1994 STRI purchased the 96-foot RV Urraca
(1994–2008) that had an A-frame and oceanographic winch which finally provided
the means to trawl and dredge to depths of 250 m. In 1995 the submersible DSRV
Johnson Sea Link was used to collected samples from the Gulf of Chiriquí at depths
over 1,000 m, providing a further insight into the deep water species present off
Panama’s Pacific coast. STRI researchers who worked on echinoderms in the 70’s
and 80’s included Peter Glynn, Gordon Hendler and Harilaos Lessios. For just
over 30 years Lessios has worked at STRI on the life histories and evolution of
echinoderms in Panama. His research has focused primarily on echinoids, including
work on speciation, molecular biogeography and the evolution of reproductive
isolation. Lessios (2005a) published a review of the echinoids of the Pacific waters of
Panama, providing information on the species and new records of their distributions.
4.3 Ecology
Ecological research in Panama has included work on all classes of echinoderms,
but with fewer studies on crinoids. Eleven species of echinoderms were recorded
in the seagrass meadows of Thalassia testudinum Banks and Sol. ex K.D. Koenig
(1805) in the Canal Zone off the Caribbean coast of Panama (Heck 1977). Species
richness of echinoderms correlated with proximity to well developed reefs and was
found to be stable throughout the study period (July 1974 to May 1975), without
any major decrease in population numbers during periods of reduced salinity.
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S. E. Coppard and J. J. Alvarado
collecting echinoderms and other invertebrates in the Gulf of Panama, including
from St. Elmo in the Pearl Islands Archipelago and the islands of Taboga and
Taboguilla in Panama Bay. His findings were later included in a broader work on
larval development (Mortensen 1921) and as part of his monumental monograph
on echinoids (Mortensen 1928, 1935, 1940, 1943a, b, 1948a, b, 1950, 1951). Other
researchers in the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s made collection trips to specific regions in
Panama (e.g. Boone 1928, Clark 1946) focusing more on specific taxa. In later
years echinoderms were collected from the Caribbean Sea off Panama as part of
general benthic sampling expeditions undertaken by the RV Oregon in 1962, the
RV Pelican in 1963, the RV Oregon II in 1970, the RV Pillsbury in 1971 and the
RV Alpha Helix in 1977.
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) established its first field
station on Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal Zone in 1923. The marine
program at STRI began fifty-one years ago, in 1961. Today STRI runs two field
stations on the Caribbean Coast (Galeta Marine Laboratory in Colón and Bocas del
Toro Research Station) and two in the Pacific (Naos Island Laboratories complex and
a Field Station on Ranchería Island, Coibita). The first research vessel was acquired
by STRI in 1970, the 65-ft RV Tethys (1970–1972), followed by the 45-foot RV
Stenella in 1972 (1972–1978) and the 63-foot RV Benjamin in 1978 (1978–1994).
These research vessels allowed STRI scientists to collect and document the shallow
water echinoderm fauna. In 1994 STRI purchased the 96-foot RV Urraca
(1994–2008) that had an A-frame and oceanographic winch which finally provided
the means to trawl and dredge to depths of 250 m. In 1995 the submersible DSRV
Johnson Sea Link was used to collected samples from the Gulf of Chiriquí at depths
over 1,000 m, providing a further insight into the deep water species present off
Panama’s Pacific coast. STRI researchers who worked on echinoderms in the 70’s
and 80’s included Peter Glynn, Gordon Hendler and Harilaos Lessios. For just
over 30 years Lessios has worked at STRI on the life histories and evolution of
echinoderms in Panama. His research has focused primarily on echinoids, including
work on speciation, molecular biogeography and the evolution of reproductive
isolation. Lessios (2005a) published a review of the echinoids of the Pacific waters of
Panama, providing information on the species and new records of their distributions.
4.3 Ecology
Ecological research in Panama has included work on all classes of echinoderms,
but with fewer studies on crinoids. Eleven species of echinoderms were recorded
in the seagrass meadows of Thalassia testudinum Banks and Sol. ex K.D. Koenig
(1805) in the Canal Zone off the Caribbean coast of Panama (Heck 1977). Species
richness of echinoderms correlated with proximity to well developed reefs and was
found to be stable throughout the study period (July 1974 to May 1975), without
any major decrease in population numbers during periods of reduced salinity.
112
S. E. Coppard and J. J. Alvarado