The following records were made in the nineteenth century between 1867 and
1898. Among them, three publications must be highlighted: the catalog written by
Rathbun in 1879, the report written by Ludwig in 1882, and, 16 years later, the
check-list of echinoderms from the southern coast of Brazil (Santa Catarina State)
written by Müller in 1898 (Tiago 1998; Hadel et al. 1999; Tiago and Ditadi 2001;
Ventura et al. 2006).
The first studies on Brazilian echinoderm fossils were also published in the
nineteenth century. In 1878, Derby described a Devonian ophiuroid from the Ponta
Grossa Formation (Paraná Basin—southern Brazil), and in 1887, White described
13 species of Cretaceous echinoids from the northeast region, at Sergipe State.
In the twentieth century, paleontological research was extended to other basins:
in the middle-west region, at Goiás and Mato Grosso States (Clarke 1913;
Löfgreen 1937; Erichsen and Löfgreen 1940; Barbosa 1949; Almeida 1954;
Beurlen 1957; Del‘Arco et al. 1982; Bosetti and Quadros 1996), and in the north
region, in the Amazon Basin (Ferreira and Fernandes 1989).
Taxonomic studies on Brazilian coastal echinoderms were improved after the
second half of the twentieth century, especially due to the efforts of Luiz Roberto
Tommasi from the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo
(Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo). Tommasi has studied the
five classes of echinoderms morphologically, and provided the first identification
keys (Tommasi 1957, 1958a, b, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964a, b, c, 1965a, b, c, d,
1966a, b, 1967a, b, 1968, 1969a, b, c, 1970a, b, c, d, 1971a, b, c, d, 1972, 1974a, b,
1985, Tommasi and Lima-Verde 1970; Tommasi and Abreu 1974; Tommasi and
Oliveira 1976; Tommasi and Aron 1987, 1988; Tommasi and Hecht 1988;
Tommasi et al. 1988a, b). Due to his pioneer contributions, his studies were the
basis for subsequent taxonomic research in Brazil. In this period, some other
studies are also relevant, such as those published by Brito (1959, 1960a, b, c, d, e,
f, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1979, 1982), and, afterwards, those by Ávila-Pires (1983);
Albuquerque (1986); Monteiro (1987); Monteiro et al. (1992) and Manso (1988a,
b, c, d, e, 1989, 1993).
From 1990 onwards there was an increase in echinoderm knowledge, such as
studies on fauna (Hadel et al. 1999; Netto et al. 2005; Ventura et al. 2007),
community structure (Ventura 1991; Castro et al. 1995; Ventura and Fernandes
1995; Sumida and Pires-Vanin 1997), reproduction and feeding (Ventura et al.
1994, 1997, 1998, 2001; Hadel 1997; Junqueira 1998; Ventura 1998; Guerrazzi
1999, Alves et al. 2002, Carvalho and Ventura 2002, Tavares et al. 2004, Ventura
and Barcellos 2004; MacCord and Ventura 2004); development (Hadel 1997;
Vellutini and Migotto 2010; Contins and Ventura 2011), growth (Freire et al.
1992), local distribution (Mac Cord and Duarte 2002), environmental education
(Hadel and Tiago 2004) and taxonomy (Tiago 1998; Tiago and Ditadi 2001;
Borges et al. 2002a; Hopkins et al. 2003).
In 2009, Brazilian researchers gathered for the 1st Brazilian Symposium on
Echinoderms (Ventura et al. 2009) and again in 2012 for the second symposium.
On these two occasions, information on several current and ongoing research was
9 Echinoderm from Brazil
305
1898. Among them, three publications must be highlighted: the catalog written by
Rathbun in 1879, the report written by Ludwig in 1882, and, 16 years later, the
check-list of echinoderms from the southern coast of Brazil (Santa Catarina State)
written by Müller in 1898 (Tiago 1998; Hadel et al. 1999; Tiago and Ditadi 2001;
Ventura et al. 2006).
The first studies on Brazilian echinoderm fossils were also published in the
nineteenth century. In 1878, Derby described a Devonian ophiuroid from the Ponta
Grossa Formation (Paraná Basin—southern Brazil), and in 1887, White described
13 species of Cretaceous echinoids from the northeast region, at Sergipe State.
In the twentieth century, paleontological research was extended to other basins:
in the middle-west region, at Goiás and Mato Grosso States (Clarke 1913;
Löfgreen 1937; Erichsen and Löfgreen 1940; Barbosa 1949; Almeida 1954;
Beurlen 1957; Del‘Arco et al. 1982; Bosetti and Quadros 1996), and in the north
region, in the Amazon Basin (Ferreira and Fernandes 1989).
Taxonomic studies on Brazilian coastal echinoderms were improved after the
second half of the twentieth century, especially due to the efforts of Luiz Roberto
Tommasi from the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo
(Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo). Tommasi has studied the
five classes of echinoderms morphologically, and provided the first identification
keys (Tommasi 1957, 1958a, b, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964a, b, c, 1965a, b, c, d,
1966a, b, 1967a, b, 1968, 1969a, b, c, 1970a, b, c, d, 1971a, b, c, d, 1972, 1974a, b,
1985, Tommasi and Lima-Verde 1970; Tommasi and Abreu 1974; Tommasi and
Oliveira 1976; Tommasi and Aron 1987, 1988; Tommasi and Hecht 1988;
Tommasi et al. 1988a, b). Due to his pioneer contributions, his studies were the
basis for subsequent taxonomic research in Brazil. In this period, some other
studies are also relevant, such as those published by Brito (1959, 1960a, b, c, d, e,
f, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1979, 1982), and, afterwards, those by Ávila-Pires (1983);
Albuquerque (1986); Monteiro (1987); Monteiro et al. (1992) and Manso (1988a,
b, c, d, e, 1989, 1993).
From 1990 onwards there was an increase in echinoderm knowledge, such as
studies on fauna (Hadel et al. 1999; Netto et al. 2005; Ventura et al. 2007),
community structure (Ventura 1991; Castro et al. 1995; Ventura and Fernandes
1995; Sumida and Pires-Vanin 1997), reproduction and feeding (Ventura et al.
1994, 1997, 1998, 2001; Hadel 1997; Junqueira 1998; Ventura 1998; Guerrazzi
1999, Alves et al. 2002, Carvalho and Ventura 2002, Tavares et al. 2004, Ventura
and Barcellos 2004; MacCord and Ventura 2004); development (Hadel 1997;
Vellutini and Migotto 2010; Contins and Ventura 2011), growth (Freire et al.
1992), local distribution (Mac Cord and Duarte 2002), environmental education
(Hadel and Tiago 2004) and taxonomy (Tiago 1998; Tiago and Ditadi 2001;
Borges et al. 2002a; Hopkins et al. 2003).
In 2009, Brazilian researchers gathered for the 1st Brazilian Symposium on
Echinoderms (Ventura et al. 2009) and again in 2012 for the second symposium.
On these two occasions, information on several current and ongoing research was
9 Echinoderm from Brazil
305