guillermosoberoni is the only Mexican ophiuroid species known to inhabit low
salinity sites.
Only one species of sea star is endemic to the Mexican Caribbean, Copidaster
cavernicola. This species, described by Solis-Marin and Laguarda-Figueras
(2010a) is the only known asteroid that inhabits an anchialine-water cave
(‘‘Aerolito’’) in Cozumel Island (Solis-Marin et al. 2007a, Solis-Marin and
Laguarda-Figueras 2008).
2.2.6 Mexican Fossil Echinoderms
The records of fossil Mexican echinoderms have been the subject of numerous
publications since Nyst and Galeotti (1839). Buitron (1968) produced the first
catalog on fossil echinoids of Mexico. Buitron (1990a) published an illustrated
catalog of the echinoids from the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Mexico.
Nieto-Lopez and Garcia-Barrera (2006) reviewed the Cretaceous echinoids of
Mexico. Research on this matter has been carried out in extended areas such as the
northern region (Boese 1910; Boese and Cavins 1927; Cooke 1955; Buitron 1970a,
1974a), the eastern region (Dickerson and Kew 1917; Lambert 1928; MaldonadoKoerdell 1953) and the northeastern region (Caso 1951b). Studies on the Baja
California fossil echinoderms are mainly by Jordan and Hertlein (1926), Jackson
(1937), Durham (1950, 1961), Wilson and Rocha (1955), and Chase (1956).
The fossil crinoids of Sonora State have been reported by Vachard et al. (2004)
and Buitron et al. (2007a, 2007b, 2008). Strimple (1971) mentioned the crinoids
from Coahuila State. The fossil echinoderms from Tamaulipas State have been
reported by Dumble (1918), Israelsky (1924), Muir (1936) and Caso (1956). The
fossil echinoderms of Veracruz State were studied by Boese (1906), Dickerson and
Kew (1917), Caso (1956), Buitron (1978a) and Buitron and Silva (1979). Buitron
et al. (1987) studied the fossil crinoids of Hidalgo State. Buitron (Buitrón 1973a,
b) and Garcia-Barrera and Pantoja (1991) described the fossil echinoid fauna from
Michoacan, Guerrero and Colima States. Fossil echinoderms from Puebla State
were reported by Alencaster and Buitron (1965), Buitron (1970b), Esquivel-Macias et al. (2004), Martin-Medrano and Garcia-Barrera (2006), Applegate et al.
(2009), and Martin-Medrano et al. (2009). Buitron (1976) and Garcia-Barrera and
Pantoja (1991) studied the fossil echinoids from the State of Guerrero, and Buitron
(1990b) from Oaxaca State. Lambert (1936), Jackson (1937), Muellerried (1951)
and Buitrón (1974b, 1974c, 1978b) have recorded the fossil echinoids from
Chiapas State.
The fossil echinoderm fauna in Mexico is represented by approximately 248
species. The Eocrinoidea (an extinct class of echinoderms that lived between the
Early Cambrian and Late Silurian periods) is represented by one species (Gogia
granulosa Robison 1965) (Nardin et al. 2009). Seventeen species of fossil
Crinoidea have been recorded for the Mexican Paleozoic and Mesozoic; Class
Asteroidea with only one species reported for the Cretaceous (Pentasteria sp.).
2 The Echinoderms of Mexico
27
salinity sites.
Only one species of sea star is endemic to the Mexican Caribbean, Copidaster
cavernicola. This species, described by Solis-Marin and Laguarda-Figueras
(2010a) is the only known asteroid that inhabits an anchialine-water cave
(‘‘Aerolito’’) in Cozumel Island (Solis-Marin et al. 2007a, Solis-Marin and
Laguarda-Figueras 2008).
2.2.6 Mexican Fossil Echinoderms
The records of fossil Mexican echinoderms have been the subject of numerous
publications since Nyst and Galeotti (1839). Buitron (1968) produced the first
catalog on fossil echinoids of Mexico. Buitron (1990a) published an illustrated
catalog of the echinoids from the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Mexico.
Nieto-Lopez and Garcia-Barrera (2006) reviewed the Cretaceous echinoids of
Mexico. Research on this matter has been carried out in extended areas such as the
northern region (Boese 1910; Boese and Cavins 1927; Cooke 1955; Buitron 1970a,
1974a), the eastern region (Dickerson and Kew 1917; Lambert 1928; MaldonadoKoerdell 1953) and the northeastern region (Caso 1951b). Studies on the Baja
California fossil echinoderms are mainly by Jordan and Hertlein (1926), Jackson
(1937), Durham (1950, 1961), Wilson and Rocha (1955), and Chase (1956).
The fossil crinoids of Sonora State have been reported by Vachard et al. (2004)
and Buitron et al. (2007a, 2007b, 2008). Strimple (1971) mentioned the crinoids
from Coahuila State. The fossil echinoderms from Tamaulipas State have been
reported by Dumble (1918), Israelsky (1924), Muir (1936) and Caso (1956). The
fossil echinoderms of Veracruz State were studied by Boese (1906), Dickerson and
Kew (1917), Caso (1956), Buitron (1978a) and Buitron and Silva (1979). Buitron
et al. (1987) studied the fossil crinoids of Hidalgo State. Buitron (Buitrón 1973a,
b) and Garcia-Barrera and Pantoja (1991) described the fossil echinoid fauna from
Michoacan, Guerrero and Colima States. Fossil echinoderms from Puebla State
were reported by Alencaster and Buitron (1965), Buitron (1970b), Esquivel-Macias et al. (2004), Martin-Medrano and Garcia-Barrera (2006), Applegate et al.
(2009), and Martin-Medrano et al. (2009). Buitron (1976) and Garcia-Barrera and
Pantoja (1991) studied the fossil echinoids from the State of Guerrero, and Buitron
(1990b) from Oaxaca State. Lambert (1936), Jackson (1937), Muellerried (1951)
and Buitrón (1974b, 1974c, 1978b) have recorded the fossil echinoids from
Chiapas State.
The fossil echinoderm fauna in Mexico is represented by approximately 248
species. The Eocrinoidea (an extinct class of echinoderms that lived between the
Early Cambrian and Late Silurian periods) is represented by one species (Gogia
granulosa Robison 1965) (Nardin et al. 2009). Seventeen species of fossil
Crinoidea have been recorded for the Mexican Paleozoic and Mesozoic; Class
Asteroidea with only one species reported for the Cretaceous (Pentasteria sp.).
2 The Echinoderms of Mexico
27