genus is Amphiodia, with seven species. Ophiactis savignyi is the ophiuroid
species with the widest distribution in the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean; it is
distributed along the Gulf of California, the Gulf of Mexico, and also in the
Mexican Caribbean. It has been recorded for eight States, the Revillagigedo
Islands, and for the Maria Islands. Also, Ophiocoma aethiops is widely distributed
in the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean and it has been recorded for seven
States, as well as for the Revillagigedo Islands.
Thirty seven species of echinoids are found in the Mexican Pacific Ocean,
including the west coast of Baja California. These are classified in 25 genera, 14
families and seven orders. Twenty seven species are shared with the Gulf of
California. The most common species are: E. thouarsii, D. mexicanum, C. coronatus,
A. incisa, Echinometra vanbrunti, Clypeaster europacificus, Encope micropora,
E. perspectiva and E. wetmorei (Honey-Escandón et al. 2008) (Figs. 2.7 and 2.8).
The Pacific coast of Mexico is the second in biodiversity for holothuroids, with
53 species (Fig. 2.4). Ten occur only on the west coast of Baja California. Seven
occur also in the Pacific Coast. Of these 53 species, 46 also occur in the Gulf of
California and the range of distribution can extend south to the Galapagos Islands.
The characteristic species are almost the same for the Gulf of California:
Afrocucumis ovulum, Holothuria (Selenkothuria) lubrica, H. (Semperothuria) imitans, H. (Thymiosycia) arenicola, H. (T.) impatiens, H. (Halodeima) inornata, H.
(Mertensiothuria) hilla, H. (Stauropora) fuscocinerea, Isostichopus fuscus, Neothyone gibbosa and N. gibber (Honey-Escandón et al. 2008) (Figs. 2.7, 2.8).
2.2.5 Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is the most diverse area for the Classes Crinoidea, Asteroidea,
Ophiuroidea and Echinoidea. Twenty five species (86 % of the total for Mexico)
of crinoids live in the Gulf of Mexico and most of them occur in Campeche Bank.
This Bank holds 22 of the 25 species present in the entire Gulf; about 75.8 % of
the total species of crinoids in Mexican waters. Most of those crinoids can be
found in both shallow (\200 m), and deep ([200 m) water environments; 17
species (68 % of the species in the Gulf of Mexico) are found in waters of less than
200 m depth, while 23 species inhabit the deepest part of the gulf. The unstalked
or comatulid crinoids represent 76 % (19 species) of the total number of species
present in the Gulf of Mexico, the stalked crinoids comprise 21 % (six species)
and there is one species (4 %) of cyrtocrinid crinoid, Holopus rangii, present on
Campeche Bank (Fig. 2.4).
There are 96 species of sea stars in the Gulf of Mexico. Half (48 species) are
distributed in deep waters ([200 m depth), and 29 species have a wide bathymetric range. The most common genera are Luidia, Astropecten, Cheiraster,
Linckia, Pteraster and Echinaster (Duran-Gonzalez et al. 2005).
24
F. A. Solís-Marín et al.
species with the widest distribution in the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean; it is
distributed along the Gulf of California, the Gulf of Mexico, and also in the
Mexican Caribbean. It has been recorded for eight States, the Revillagigedo
Islands, and for the Maria Islands. Also, Ophiocoma aethiops is widely distributed
in the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean and it has been recorded for seven
States, as well as for the Revillagigedo Islands.
Thirty seven species of echinoids are found in the Mexican Pacific Ocean,
including the west coast of Baja California. These are classified in 25 genera, 14
families and seven orders. Twenty seven species are shared with the Gulf of
California. The most common species are: E. thouarsii, D. mexicanum, C. coronatus,
A. incisa, Echinometra vanbrunti, Clypeaster europacificus, Encope micropora,
E. perspectiva and E. wetmorei (Honey-Escandón et al. 2008) (Figs. 2.7 and 2.8).
The Pacific coast of Mexico is the second in biodiversity for holothuroids, with
53 species (Fig. 2.4). Ten occur only on the west coast of Baja California. Seven
occur also in the Pacific Coast. Of these 53 species, 46 also occur in the Gulf of
California and the range of distribution can extend south to the Galapagos Islands.
The characteristic species are almost the same for the Gulf of California:
Afrocucumis ovulum, Holothuria (Selenkothuria) lubrica, H. (Semperothuria) imitans, H. (Thymiosycia) arenicola, H. (T.) impatiens, H. (Halodeima) inornata, H.
(Mertensiothuria) hilla, H. (Stauropora) fuscocinerea, Isostichopus fuscus, Neothyone gibbosa and N. gibber (Honey-Escandón et al. 2008) (Figs. 2.7, 2.8).
2.2.5 Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is the most diverse area for the Classes Crinoidea, Asteroidea,
Ophiuroidea and Echinoidea. Twenty five species (86 % of the total for Mexico)
of crinoids live in the Gulf of Mexico and most of them occur in Campeche Bank.
This Bank holds 22 of the 25 species present in the entire Gulf; about 75.8 % of
the total species of crinoids in Mexican waters. Most of those crinoids can be
found in both shallow (\200 m), and deep ([200 m) water environments; 17
species (68 % of the species in the Gulf of Mexico) are found in waters of less than
200 m depth, while 23 species inhabit the deepest part of the gulf. The unstalked
or comatulid crinoids represent 76 % (19 species) of the total number of species
present in the Gulf of Mexico, the stalked crinoids comprise 21 % (six species)
and there is one species (4 %) of cyrtocrinid crinoid, Holopus rangii, present on
Campeche Bank (Fig. 2.4).
There are 96 species of sea stars in the Gulf of Mexico. Half (48 species) are
distributed in deep waters ([200 m depth), and 29 species have a wide bathymetric range. The most common genera are Luidia, Astropecten, Cheiraster,
Linckia, Pteraster and Echinaster (Duran-Gonzalez et al. 2005).
24
F. A. Solís-Marín et al.