Systematic research on Holothuroidea by Brazilian biologists is somewhat
recent, beginning with Ancona-Lopez (1957), on specimens sampled at Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo States. In her publication she listed H. grisea,
Stichopus badionotus, Thyone braziliensis, Chiridota rotifera and Synaptula
secreta. Tommasi (1957) also published a list of Holothuroidea sampled down to a
depth of 15 m along the coast of São Paulo State, including Synaptula hydriformis,
H. grisea and S. badionotus.
In 1969, Tommasi also published a list with 31 species of Holothuroidea, as
well as a survey of one hundred years of the literature about the group (Tommasi,
1969a). Nine new species were added to the Brazilian fauna in the following thirty
years (Tiago and Ditadi 2001).
Other authors also published lists on the Brazilian Holothuroidea, among them
Sluiter (1910), Krau (1950), Heding and Panning (1954), Ancona-Lopez and
Sawaya (1955), Ancona-Lopez (1962, 1964, 1965a, b), Tommasi (1959, 1969a, b,
1971b, d, 1972, 1974a), Brito (1960f, 1962), Deichmann (1963), Lima-Verde
(1969), Freitas et al. (1973), Tommasi and Oliveira (1976), Tommasi and Aron
(1988), Tommasi et al. (1988a,b), Freire and Grohmann (1989), Hendler et al.
(1995), Hadel (1997), Pires-Vanin et al. (1997), Hadel et al. (1999) and Brites et al.
(2011).
Our knowledge of the southeastern Atlantic Holothuroidea is poor, particularly
for deep-sea species. Hyman (1955) observed that ‘‘interest in this group appears
relegated to taxonomic specialists’’, while Hendler et al. (1995) pointed out that
holothurians are far from being attractive animals. Besides, their densities in the
Atlantic waters are low compared to the tropical Indo-Pacific. Moreover, the
Atlantic species are generally small, dull in colour and are not as easily seen as are
coral reef’s species.
From Verrill (1868) to the present, 49 valid names of Holothuroidea species
have been ascribed to the 7,367 km of the Brazilian coast (see Appendix). At first
this may seem to indicate a low occurrence of sea cucumbers on the Brazilian
coast, but it properly reflects the lack of systematic studies of these echinoderms
by Brazilian biologists (Tiago and Ditadi 2001).
Species with a wide geographical distribution predominate among the Brazilian
Holothuroidea, with most species reaching at least to the Caribbean. Endemic
species are also well-represented: Psolus vitoriae, Thyone montoucheti,
Euthyonidiella dentata, Cucumaria manoelina, Ocnus braziliensis, Trachytione
crassipeda, Leptosynapta brasiliensis and Synaptula secreta (Ancona-Lopez 1957;
Tiago and Ditadi 2001).
Although São Sebastião (São Paulo State) is recognized as the southern limit of
the geographical distribution of many Brazilian sea cucumbers, some species, like
I. badionotus and H. grisea, have been found at Santa Catarina State, some 750 km
south of São Sebastião (Tiago and Ditadi 2001). However, the number of species
described for the Brazilian littoral, as well as their geographical distribution,
should be reviewed taking into account possible synonymies.
9 Echinoderm from Brazil
323
recent, beginning with Ancona-Lopez (1957), on specimens sampled at Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo States. In her publication she listed H. grisea,
Stichopus badionotus, Thyone braziliensis, Chiridota rotifera and Synaptula
secreta. Tommasi (1957) also published a list of Holothuroidea sampled down to a
depth of 15 m along the coast of São Paulo State, including Synaptula hydriformis,
H. grisea and S. badionotus.
In 1969, Tommasi also published a list with 31 species of Holothuroidea, as
well as a survey of one hundred years of the literature about the group (Tommasi,
1969a). Nine new species were added to the Brazilian fauna in the following thirty
years (Tiago and Ditadi 2001).
Other authors also published lists on the Brazilian Holothuroidea, among them
Sluiter (1910), Krau (1950), Heding and Panning (1954), Ancona-Lopez and
Sawaya (1955), Ancona-Lopez (1962, 1964, 1965a, b), Tommasi (1959, 1969a, b,
1971b, d, 1972, 1974a), Brito (1960f, 1962), Deichmann (1963), Lima-Verde
(1969), Freitas et al. (1973), Tommasi and Oliveira (1976), Tommasi and Aron
(1988), Tommasi et al. (1988a,b), Freire and Grohmann (1989), Hendler et al.
(1995), Hadel (1997), Pires-Vanin et al. (1997), Hadel et al. (1999) and Brites et al.
(2011).
Our knowledge of the southeastern Atlantic Holothuroidea is poor, particularly
for deep-sea species. Hyman (1955) observed that ‘‘interest in this group appears
relegated to taxonomic specialists’’, while Hendler et al. (1995) pointed out that
holothurians are far from being attractive animals. Besides, their densities in the
Atlantic waters are low compared to the tropical Indo-Pacific. Moreover, the
Atlantic species are generally small, dull in colour and are not as easily seen as are
coral reef’s species.
From Verrill (1868) to the present, 49 valid names of Holothuroidea species
have been ascribed to the 7,367 km of the Brazilian coast (see Appendix). At first
this may seem to indicate a low occurrence of sea cucumbers on the Brazilian
coast, but it properly reflects the lack of systematic studies of these echinoderms
by Brazilian biologists (Tiago and Ditadi 2001).
Species with a wide geographical distribution predominate among the Brazilian
Holothuroidea, with most species reaching at least to the Caribbean. Endemic
species are also well-represented: Psolus vitoriae, Thyone montoucheti,
Euthyonidiella dentata, Cucumaria manoelina, Ocnus braziliensis, Trachytione
crassipeda, Leptosynapta brasiliensis and Synaptula secreta (Ancona-Lopez 1957;
Tiago and Ditadi 2001).
Although São Sebastião (São Paulo State) is recognized as the southern limit of
the geographical distribution of many Brazilian sea cucumbers, some species, like
I. badionotus and H. grisea, have been found at Santa Catarina State, some 750 km
south of São Sebastião (Tiago and Ditadi 2001). However, the number of species
described for the Brazilian littoral, as well as their geographical distribution,
should be reviewed taking into account possible synonymies.
9 Echinoderm from Brazil
323