Seventy nine species of ophiuroids occur in the Gulf of Mexico. Yucatan has
the greatest number of species (46). Ophiactis savignyi is the species most frequently found in the Gulf of Mexico, especially in the State of Veracruz.
The number of species of echinoids in the Gulf of Mexico is 59. Of these, 30
(52 %) are present in deep waters ([200 m depth). The most common shallow
water species with wide bathymetric (0–80 m) distribution are Eucidaris tribuloides, Astropyga magnifica, Arbacia punctulata, Lytechinus variegatus carolinus
and Encope michelini. On the outer shelf Clypeaster ravenelii and Brissopsis are
present in 80–190 m. Finally, Plesiodiadema antillarum and Brissopsis atlantica
occur on the slope to 200 m. Geographically, Encope aberrans, Clypeaster
subdepressus and Echinolampas depressa are restricted to Campeche Bank,
Yucatan and Cape Catoche, Quintana Roo (Laguarda-Figueras et al. 2005a).
The Gulf of Mexico has the lowest diversity of sea cucumbers with only 33
species. Two species also occur off the Pacific coast and 20 are distributed also in
the Mexican Caribbean in shallow waters. The rest (15 species) are present in deep
waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Fig. 2.4), more than 200 m deep. The most common
species are: Holothuria (Halodeima) grisea, H. (H.) floridana, H. (Selenkothuria)
glaberrima, H. (Semperothuria) surinamensis and Isostichopus badionotus
(Duran-Gonzalez et al. 2005).
Mexican Caribbean
In the Mexican Caribbean Sea, the crinoid fauna is not as diverse as it is in the
Gulf of Mexico; nonetheless, the diversity of ecosystems (coral reefs, sandy bottom plains, deep slopes) provide habitats for 13 species, that represent 45 % of the
sea lilies and feather stars reported in Mexican waters. In the Caribbean,
the stalked crinoids represent 23 % with three species reported, inhabiting the
Arrowsmith Bank and the Yucatan Channel area; while the comatulids comprise
the major percentage (76 %) with 10 species in the same area. In this area, the
isocrinid stalked crinoid Endoxocrinus parrae is the most frequently found
species, along with the unstalked Davidaster rubiginosus (Fig. 2.5), Comactinia
meridionalis and Crinometra brevipinna. A total of 13 species (84 %) are shared
with the Gulf of Mexico (Fig. 2.4). Stalked crinoids are present in the Bank of
Campeche and the Caribbean at depths that range from 86 to 143 m in the shallow
areas; and from 747 to 1,245 m as the deepest limit. In the same region, the
comatulid crinoids can be found from 2 to 200 m in the shallow range; and from
200 to more than 3,500 m in the deepest areas.
For the Asteroidea, the Mexican Caribbean is least diverse, with only 51
species. Forty two (79 %) of these are shared with the Gulf of Mexico. Of these 51
species, 14 occur in deep waters ([200 m depth) and 29 have a batimetric range at
depths from 0 to more than 200 m. The most common genera are almost the same
as in the Gulf of Mexico: Luidia, Astropecten, Cheiraster and Echinaster
(Laguarda-Figueras et al. 2005b) (Fig. 2.5).
2 The Echinoderms of Mexico
25
the greatest number of species (46). Ophiactis savignyi is the species most frequently found in the Gulf of Mexico, especially in the State of Veracruz.
The number of species of echinoids in the Gulf of Mexico is 59. Of these, 30
(52 %) are present in deep waters ([200 m depth). The most common shallow
water species with wide bathymetric (0–80 m) distribution are Eucidaris tribuloides, Astropyga magnifica, Arbacia punctulata, Lytechinus variegatus carolinus
and Encope michelini. On the outer shelf Clypeaster ravenelii and Brissopsis are
present in 80–190 m. Finally, Plesiodiadema antillarum and Brissopsis atlantica
occur on the slope to 200 m. Geographically, Encope aberrans, Clypeaster
subdepressus and Echinolampas depressa are restricted to Campeche Bank,
Yucatan and Cape Catoche, Quintana Roo (Laguarda-Figueras et al. 2005a).
The Gulf of Mexico has the lowest diversity of sea cucumbers with only 33
species. Two species also occur off the Pacific coast and 20 are distributed also in
the Mexican Caribbean in shallow waters. The rest (15 species) are present in deep
waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Fig. 2.4), more than 200 m deep. The most common
species are: Holothuria (Halodeima) grisea, H. (H.) floridana, H. (Selenkothuria)
glaberrima, H. (Semperothuria) surinamensis and Isostichopus badionotus
(Duran-Gonzalez et al. 2005).
Mexican Caribbean
In the Mexican Caribbean Sea, the crinoid fauna is not as diverse as it is in the
Gulf of Mexico; nonetheless, the diversity of ecosystems (coral reefs, sandy bottom plains, deep slopes) provide habitats for 13 species, that represent 45 % of the
sea lilies and feather stars reported in Mexican waters. In the Caribbean,
the stalked crinoids represent 23 % with three species reported, inhabiting the
Arrowsmith Bank and the Yucatan Channel area; while the comatulids comprise
the major percentage (76 %) with 10 species in the same area. In this area, the
isocrinid stalked crinoid Endoxocrinus parrae is the most frequently found
species, along with the unstalked Davidaster rubiginosus (Fig. 2.5), Comactinia
meridionalis and Crinometra brevipinna. A total of 13 species (84 %) are shared
with the Gulf of Mexico (Fig. 2.4). Stalked crinoids are present in the Bank of
Campeche and the Caribbean at depths that range from 86 to 143 m in the shallow
areas; and from 747 to 1,245 m as the deepest limit. In the same region, the
comatulid crinoids can be found from 2 to 200 m in the shallow range; and from
200 to more than 3,500 m in the deepest areas.
For the Asteroidea, the Mexican Caribbean is least diverse, with only 51
species. Forty two (79 %) of these are shared with the Gulf of Mexico. Of these 51
species, 14 occur in deep waters ([200 m depth) and 29 have a batimetric range at
depths from 0 to more than 200 m. The most common genera are almost the same
as in the Gulf of Mexico: Luidia, Astropecten, Cheiraster and Echinaster
(Laguarda-Figueras et al. 2005b) (Fig. 2.5).
2 The Echinoderms of Mexico
25