Distribution of Species by Habitat
The ecoregions of the Colombian Caribbean Sea include different kinds of habitat,
such as seagrass beds, sandy beaches, salt marshes, mangroves, coastal lagoons
and swamps, sandy bottoms, rocky shores, coral reefs, estuaries, and soft bottoms.
Echinoderms could inhabit each of these ecosystems. However, only some of them
have been studied and species of echinoderms have been reported in only some of
them. Below are descriptions of the habitats and the research that includes
information on echinoderms.
Intertidal and Shallow Water Ecosystems
Most studies conducted on shallow water echinoderms of the Colombian Caribbean Sea have been developed in the ecoregion TAY, specifically in Tayrona
National Natural Park (PNNT), Punta Betín, and Santa Marta Bay, and in the
ecoregion ARCO in Rosario Corals and San Bernardo Islands National Natural
Park (PNNCRSB). Among these studies are those by Gallo (1985, 1988a, b), who
collected 43 species of Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea and Echinoidea at depths from 0
to 30 m at PNNT; Meyer (1972), who described the new crinoid species Ctenantedon kinziei from Punta Betín and Santa Marta Bay; and Caycedo (1978, 1979),
who published lists of echinoderms found in PNNT and PNNCRSB from at depths
from 0 to 38 m. There are also some lists of echinoderms published by Álvarez
(1981), who recorded 70 species of all echinoderm classes and Allain (1976), who
recorded 38 species of echinoids of all ecoregions the Colombian Caribbean Sea.
It is important to note the study made by Quiñones (1981), who listed 23 species of
echinoderms from the SAN ecoregion, specifically in Providencia and Santa
Catalina Islands.
Rocky Shores
In the Colombian Caribbean Sea, most of the rocky shores are distributed in a
discontinuous line along the continental coast and also around some islands.
Generally they are interrupted by beaches, coastal lagoons, and estuaries (BatistaMorales and Diaz-Sanchez 2010). Rocky shores in the Colombian Caribbean Sea
have been little studied, so studies focusing on the echinoderms are also scarce.
Gárces and Romero (2003) carried out research with the aim of characterizing the
structure of the ophiuroid community associated with the mesolittoral rocky shore
of Gaira bay (TAY ecoregion), determining spatial-temporary changes of the
community between August, 2001, and May, 2002. As a result, 12 species were
identified. The most frequent and abundant were Ophiactis savignyi and Ophiothrix
angulata, and the least frequent and abundant was Ophiocoma wendtii. Monroy
(2003) and Monroy and Solano (2005, 2008) developed an ecological study
focused on evaluating the distribution of populations of the Colombian endemic
5 Echinoderms of Colombia
161
The ecoregions of the Colombian Caribbean Sea include different kinds of habitat,
such as seagrass beds, sandy beaches, salt marshes, mangroves, coastal lagoons
and swamps, sandy bottoms, rocky shores, coral reefs, estuaries, and soft bottoms.
Echinoderms could inhabit each of these ecosystems. However, only some of them
have been studied and species of echinoderms have been reported in only some of
them. Below are descriptions of the habitats and the research that includes
information on echinoderms.
Intertidal and Shallow Water Ecosystems
Most studies conducted on shallow water echinoderms of the Colombian Caribbean Sea have been developed in the ecoregion TAY, specifically in Tayrona
National Natural Park (PNNT), Punta Betín, and Santa Marta Bay, and in the
ecoregion ARCO in Rosario Corals and San Bernardo Islands National Natural
Park (PNNCRSB). Among these studies are those by Gallo (1985, 1988a, b), who
collected 43 species of Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea and Echinoidea at depths from 0
to 30 m at PNNT; Meyer (1972), who described the new crinoid species Ctenantedon kinziei from Punta Betín and Santa Marta Bay; and Caycedo (1978, 1979),
who published lists of echinoderms found in PNNT and PNNCRSB from at depths
from 0 to 38 m. There are also some lists of echinoderms published by Álvarez
(1981), who recorded 70 species of all echinoderm classes and Allain (1976), who
recorded 38 species of echinoids of all ecoregions the Colombian Caribbean Sea.
It is important to note the study made by Quiñones (1981), who listed 23 species of
echinoderms from the SAN ecoregion, specifically in Providencia and Santa
Catalina Islands.
Rocky Shores
In the Colombian Caribbean Sea, most of the rocky shores are distributed in a
discontinuous line along the continental coast and also around some islands.
Generally they are interrupted by beaches, coastal lagoons, and estuaries (BatistaMorales and Diaz-Sanchez 2010). Rocky shores in the Colombian Caribbean Sea
have been little studied, so studies focusing on the echinoderms are also scarce.
Gárces and Romero (2003) carried out research with the aim of characterizing the
structure of the ophiuroid community associated with the mesolittoral rocky shore
of Gaira bay (TAY ecoregion), determining spatial-temporary changes of the
community between August, 2001, and May, 2002. As a result, 12 species were
identified. The most frequent and abundant were Ophiactis savignyi and Ophiothrix
angulata, and the least frequent and abundant was Ophiocoma wendtii. Monroy
(2003) and Monroy and Solano (2005, 2008) developed an ecological study
focused on evaluating the distribution of populations of the Colombian endemic
5 Echinoderms of Colombia
161