Lyman (1833–1897), an U.S. zoologist who studied under the supervision of
Professor Louis Agassiz. He worked many years at the Museum of Comparative
Zoology of Harvard University and described many species of Latin American
echinoderms, mainly ophiurans. Alexander Emanuel Rodolphe Agassiz
(1835–1910), a Swiss-born U.S. marine zoologist and oceanographer, was the son
of Louis Agassiz. He emigrated in 1849 to the United States where he conducted
significant systematic zoological work on Latin American echinoderms (e.g.
starfish and echinoids).
Rafael Arango y Molina (1837–1893), a Cuban zoologist who wrote the first
echinoderm records of the archipelago, worked together with L. F. Pourtalés
(1824–1880), a Swiss who also worked on LA echinoderms and visited Cuba
around 1867.
The transition from 19th to 20th centuries was characterized in general by large
expeditions that reported new discoveries on the echinoderm fauna of LA. These
included studies by several of the most prominent echinoderm researchers such as
Addison Emery Verrill (1839–1926), Theodoro Mortensen (1868–1952), Hubert
Lyman Clark (1870–1947), Austin Hobart Clark (1880–1954), Elizabeth
Deichmann (1896–1975), María Codocedo Rojas (1909–1989), Irene Bernasconi
(1896–1989), Gustave Cherbonier (1909–1995), María Elena Caso Muñoz
(1915–1991), Maureen E. Downey (1920–2000), Ailsa McGown Clark (1926),
Ignácio M. Brito (1927–2001), Patricio Sánchez Reyes (1928–1999), Cinthya
Anne Gust Ahearn (1952–2008) and Isabel Pérez Farfante de Canet (1916–2009).
In this century, many active echinoderm specialists still work on the Latin
American fauna: Luiz Roberto Tommasi (Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil),
David L. Pawson (Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C, U.S.A.), Claude
Massin (Institut Royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium),
John M. Lawrence (University of South Florida, U.S.A.), Alfredo Laguarda
Figueras (Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México), Gordon Hendler (Los Angeles County Museum,
Los Angeles California, U.S.A), Rich Mooi (California Academy of Sciencies,
California, U.S.A.), Alberto Larraín Prat (Universidad de Concepción, Chile),
Harilaos A. Lessios (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama) and many
others who are still actively increasing our knowledge of this fascinating invertebrate group.
1.3 General Results
Most Latin American countries have a common beginning in echinoderm research,
with the presence of European and United States expeditions, followed by a period
of research by regional scientists in the middle of the twentieth century.
Researchers like María Elena Caso, Irene Bernasconi and Luiz Roberto Tomassi
are prominent. Most of the specimens collected by these expeditions are in foreign
museums in the United States (Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History,
1 Echinoderm Research and Diversity in Latin America
5
Professor Louis Agassiz. He worked many years at the Museum of Comparative
Zoology of Harvard University and described many species of Latin American
echinoderms, mainly ophiurans. Alexander Emanuel Rodolphe Agassiz
(1835–1910), a Swiss-born U.S. marine zoologist and oceanographer, was the son
of Louis Agassiz. He emigrated in 1849 to the United States where he conducted
significant systematic zoological work on Latin American echinoderms (e.g.
starfish and echinoids).
Rafael Arango y Molina (1837–1893), a Cuban zoologist who wrote the first
echinoderm records of the archipelago, worked together with L. F. Pourtalés
(1824–1880), a Swiss who also worked on LA echinoderms and visited Cuba
around 1867.
The transition from 19th to 20th centuries was characterized in general by large
expeditions that reported new discoveries on the echinoderm fauna of LA. These
included studies by several of the most prominent echinoderm researchers such as
Addison Emery Verrill (1839–1926), Theodoro Mortensen (1868–1952), Hubert
Lyman Clark (1870–1947), Austin Hobart Clark (1880–1954), Elizabeth
Deichmann (1896–1975), María Codocedo Rojas (1909–1989), Irene Bernasconi
(1896–1989), Gustave Cherbonier (1909–1995), María Elena Caso Muñoz
(1915–1991), Maureen E. Downey (1920–2000), Ailsa McGown Clark (1926),
Ignácio M. Brito (1927–2001), Patricio Sánchez Reyes (1928–1999), Cinthya
Anne Gust Ahearn (1952–2008) and Isabel Pérez Farfante de Canet (1916–2009).
In this century, many active echinoderm specialists still work on the Latin
American fauna: Luiz Roberto Tommasi (Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil),
David L. Pawson (Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C, U.S.A.), Claude
Massin (Institut Royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium),
John M. Lawrence (University of South Florida, U.S.A.), Alfredo Laguarda
Figueras (Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional
Autónoma de México), Gordon Hendler (Los Angeles County Museum,
Los Angeles California, U.S.A), Rich Mooi (California Academy of Sciencies,
California, U.S.A.), Alberto Larraín Prat (Universidad de Concepción, Chile),
Harilaos A. Lessios (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama) and many
others who are still actively increasing our knowledge of this fascinating invertebrate group.
1.3 General Results
Most Latin American countries have a common beginning in echinoderm research,
with the presence of European and United States expeditions, followed by a period
of research by regional scientists in the middle of the twentieth century.
Researchers like María Elena Caso, Irene Bernasconi and Luiz Roberto Tomassi
are prominent. Most of the specimens collected by these expeditions are in foreign
museums in the United States (Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History,
1 Echinoderm Research and Diversity in Latin America
5