In the book ‘‘Corales Pétreos: Jardines Sumergidos de Cuba’’ (‘‘Stony corals:
underwater gardens of Cuba’’) Del Valle and Abreu-Pérez (2004) give a general
view of the Phylum Echinodermata for Cuban waters, listing the main species of
echinoderms associated with stony corals in Cuba. A year later, Abreu-Pérez et al.
(2005) and Del Valle et al. (2005) published the catalogue of neritic seastars and
brittlestars and a catalogue of neritic sea lilies, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers of
the Cuban Archipelago, respectively. In both, they listed 125 species for the neritic
zone (down to a depth of 30 m), the bibliographic references that cite them for the
country, habitat, depth, distribution in the Western Atlantic, and the collection
localities in Cuba. The catalogue of Del Valle et al. (2005) reported two new
records of holothuroids for Cuban waters: Ocnus suspectus and Phyllophorus
(Urodemella) occidentalis.
The next year, Del Valle and Barreras-Rodríguez (2006) recorded the holothurian Holothuria princeps for Cuba. Soon after, Rodríguez-Barrera et al. (2007)
contributed a new record of an echinoid for Cuba, Paraster doederleini, increasing
the number of species and extending the knowledge on the geographic distribution
for this group.
In the book ‘‘ Marine Biodiversity of Cuba’’, Del Valle and Abreu-Pérez (2007)
present a taxonomic list of all echinoderm species recorded for Cuba, where the
distribution of each one is given by ecozones (Areces 2002), as well as the relative
abundance of them. For each class, the most remarkable species for each ecosystem
present in Cuba are highlighted. In this work they analyzed the status of exploitation
of the sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus in the Cuban Archipielago.
In the book ‘‘Sabana-Camagüey Ecosystem: current state, progresses and
challenges on the protection and sustainable use of Biodiversity’’, Del Valle et al.
(2008) listed 1,370 marine species inventoried in the archipelago. Of these, 1,064
are invertebrates with 71 species of echinoderms. In addition, the areas with the
upper and lower species richness values are pointed out. Pertinent recommendations for protection and better knowledge of the marine fauna of the SabanaCamagüey Archipelago are given. This study found that in the outer zone of the
macro-lagoon, where human impact is minor, the seagrasses develop better, the
echinoderm communities have a greater number of species and moderated population densities. This was associated with a reduction in percentage of suspensionfeeders. In contrast, towards the inner side of the macro-lagoon, where there is
little exchange with oceanic waters, seagrasses are rare or absent and the organic
matter and silt values are high. Fewer echinoderm species occur and a greater
percentage of invertebrate filter-feeders are present.
12.2.1 Other Studies
Echinoderms have been used by other specialists, in different fields of study, for
research. Elyakov et al. (1975) made a comparative and chemical composition
study of holothurins (glycosides) isolated from nine species of sea cucumbers:
410
R. d. Valle-García et al.
underwater gardens of Cuba’’) Del Valle and Abreu-Pérez (2004) give a general
view of the Phylum Echinodermata for Cuban waters, listing the main species of
echinoderms associated with stony corals in Cuba. A year later, Abreu-Pérez et al.
(2005) and Del Valle et al. (2005) published the catalogue of neritic seastars and
brittlestars and a catalogue of neritic sea lilies, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers of
the Cuban Archipelago, respectively. In both, they listed 125 species for the neritic
zone (down to a depth of 30 m), the bibliographic references that cite them for the
country, habitat, depth, distribution in the Western Atlantic, and the collection
localities in Cuba. The catalogue of Del Valle et al. (2005) reported two new
records of holothuroids for Cuban waters: Ocnus suspectus and Phyllophorus
(Urodemella) occidentalis.
The next year, Del Valle and Barreras-Rodríguez (2006) recorded the holothurian Holothuria princeps for Cuba. Soon after, Rodríguez-Barrera et al. (2007)
contributed a new record of an echinoid for Cuba, Paraster doederleini, increasing
the number of species and extending the knowledge on the geographic distribution
for this group.
In the book ‘‘ Marine Biodiversity of Cuba’’, Del Valle and Abreu-Pérez (2007)
present a taxonomic list of all echinoderm species recorded for Cuba, where the
distribution of each one is given by ecozones (Areces 2002), as well as the relative
abundance of them. For each class, the most remarkable species for each ecosystem
present in Cuba are highlighted. In this work they analyzed the status of exploitation
of the sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus in the Cuban Archipielago.
In the book ‘‘Sabana-Camagüey Ecosystem: current state, progresses and
challenges on the protection and sustainable use of Biodiversity’’, Del Valle et al.
(2008) listed 1,370 marine species inventoried in the archipelago. Of these, 1,064
are invertebrates with 71 species of echinoderms. In addition, the areas with the
upper and lower species richness values are pointed out. Pertinent recommendations for protection and better knowledge of the marine fauna of the SabanaCamagüey Archipelago are given. This study found that in the outer zone of the
macro-lagoon, where human impact is minor, the seagrasses develop better, the
echinoderm communities have a greater number of species and moderated population densities. This was associated with a reduction in percentage of suspensionfeeders. In contrast, towards the inner side of the macro-lagoon, where there is
little exchange with oceanic waters, seagrasses are rare or absent and the organic
matter and silt values are high. Fewer echinoderm species occur and a greater
percentage of invertebrate filter-feeders are present.
12.2.1 Other Studies
Echinoderms have been used by other specialists, in different fields of study, for
research. Elyakov et al. (1975) made a comparative and chemical composition
study of holothurins (glycosides) isolated from nine species of sea cucumbers:
410
R. d. Valle-García et al.