The Mexican Caribbean is the second most species-rich area of ophiuroids with
78 species. The distribution patterns of the species are diverse. The ones with the
widest distribution in shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Mexican Caribbean Sea are Ophiolepis elegans, O. impressa, Ophiocoma echinata, Ophioderma
cinereum, Ophiactis savignyi, and Ophiothrix angulata. The deep-sea species with
the widest distribution for both areas are Ophiolepis elegans, O. impressa,
Ophioderma cinereum, and Ophiothrix angulata. Forty nine species are shared
with the Gulf of Mexico.
Echinoids of the Mexican Caribbean coast are less studied than the other areas.
Nevertheless, it is the second area in diversity with 50 species; 39 of them shared
with the Gulf of Mexico. The most characteristic species occur in shallow waters.
These are Encope aberrans, E. michelini, Clypeaster subdepressus, Cassidulus
caribaearum, Diadema antillarum, Echinometra lucunter, E. viridis, Eucidaris
tribuloides and Tripneustes ventricosus (Duran-Gonzalez et al. 2005).
The Mexican Caribbean has 33 species of holothuroids. The great majority of
them (27 species) also occur throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Florida Keys. The
most characteristic species are Holothuria (Halodeima) floridana, H. (H.) grisea,
H. (H.) mexicana, H. (Semperothuria) surinamensis, H. (Thymiosycia) arenicola,
H. (T.) impatiens, H. (T.) thomasi, Isostichopus badionotus, I. macroparentheses and
Euapta lappa (Laguarda-Figueras et al. 2005b).
Endemism
The delimitation of endemism in marine species is difficult due to dispersion of
larvae through oceanic currents. Nevertheless, Mexico possesses a few species that
are endemic to a biogeographic province.
The Gulf of California, due to its unique oceanographic and geologic characteristics, has the majority of endemismic species (5). The echinoid Encope grandis
is reported only for the Gulf of California and is present both along the continental
coast and the islands within the Gulf. Three species of ophiuroids are endemic.
These are Ophiacantha hirta, Amphiophiura oligopora and Amphiura seminuda.
One species of shallow-water holothuroid Athyone glasselli is endemic.
For the North Pacific Ocean of Mexico, two species of crinoids, Fariometra
parvula and Florometra taneri appear as endemic to the Californian province. In the
southern part of Mexico, the sea star Luidia latiradiata (formely Platasterias
latiradiata) seems to be endemic to the region from Chiapas, Mexico to Colombia.
This species possesses archaic characters that can describe it as a ‘‘living fossil’’
(Caso 1945, 1970, 1972a; Fell 1962; Solis-Marin et al. 1993).
The only reported endemic species of ophiuroid in the Gulf of Mexico is
Amphiodia guillermosoberoni from Terminos Lagoon, in Campeche State. This
species was discovered and described by Caso (1979b). The species is more
abundant inhabiting sites were the salinity ranges from 16 to 21 ppm. Amphiodia
26
F. A. Solís-Marín et al.
78 species. The distribution patterns of the species are diverse. The ones with the
widest distribution in shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Mexican Caribbean Sea are Ophiolepis elegans, O. impressa, Ophiocoma echinata, Ophioderma
cinereum, Ophiactis savignyi, and Ophiothrix angulata. The deep-sea species with
the widest distribution for both areas are Ophiolepis elegans, O. impressa,
Ophioderma cinereum, and Ophiothrix angulata. Forty nine species are shared
with the Gulf of Mexico.
Echinoids of the Mexican Caribbean coast are less studied than the other areas.
Nevertheless, it is the second area in diversity with 50 species; 39 of them shared
with the Gulf of Mexico. The most characteristic species occur in shallow waters.
These are Encope aberrans, E. michelini, Clypeaster subdepressus, Cassidulus
caribaearum, Diadema antillarum, Echinometra lucunter, E. viridis, Eucidaris
tribuloides and Tripneustes ventricosus (Duran-Gonzalez et al. 2005).
The Mexican Caribbean has 33 species of holothuroids. The great majority of
them (27 species) also occur throughout the Caribbean Sea and the Florida Keys. The
most characteristic species are Holothuria (Halodeima) floridana, H. (H.) grisea,
H. (H.) mexicana, H. (Semperothuria) surinamensis, H. (Thymiosycia) arenicola,
H. (T.) impatiens, H. (T.) thomasi, Isostichopus badionotus, I. macroparentheses and
Euapta lappa (Laguarda-Figueras et al. 2005b).
Endemism
The delimitation of endemism in marine species is difficult due to dispersion of
larvae through oceanic currents. Nevertheless, Mexico possesses a few species that
are endemic to a biogeographic province.
The Gulf of California, due to its unique oceanographic and geologic characteristics, has the majority of endemismic species (5). The echinoid Encope grandis
is reported only for the Gulf of California and is present both along the continental
coast and the islands within the Gulf. Three species of ophiuroids are endemic.
These are Ophiacantha hirta, Amphiophiura oligopora and Amphiura seminuda.
One species of shallow-water holothuroid Athyone glasselli is endemic.
For the North Pacific Ocean of Mexico, two species of crinoids, Fariometra
parvula and Florometra taneri appear as endemic to the Californian province. In the
southern part of Mexico, the sea star Luidia latiradiata (formely Platasterias
latiradiata) seems to be endemic to the region from Chiapas, Mexico to Colombia.
This species possesses archaic characters that can describe it as a ‘‘living fossil’’
(Caso 1945, 1970, 1972a; Fell 1962; Solis-Marin et al. 1993).
The only reported endemic species of ophiuroid in the Gulf of Mexico is
Amphiodia guillermosoberoni from Terminos Lagoon, in Campeche State. This
species was discovered and described by Caso (1979b). The species is more
abundant inhabiting sites were the salinity ranges from 16 to 21 ppm. Amphiodia
26
F. A. Solís-Marín et al.