main island, probably as a combined impact of long-term habitat decline as a result
of chronic water quality degradation. Also, this species was largely exploited in the
past by artisans for souvenirs.
Ophidiaster guildingii (Gray), in the family Ophidiasteridae, is very uncommon
and has been documented only from shallow water (depth of 2–5 m) fringing and
patch reefs off Cabo Rojo and Culebra Island. This is a very cryptic species,
usually hidden in reef crevices and overhangs. The common comet sea star,
Linckia guildingi (Gray), is also a rare species due to its cryptic behavior, but has
been documented from coral reefs and rocky reef habitats from Culebra Island,
Humacao, Fajardo, Luquillo, Vega Baja, and Cabo Rojo, at depths ranging from
about 5 to 20 m. Four species have been also documented in the family Astropectinidae, including Astropecten articulatus (Gray), A. duplicatus (Koehler), and
A. antillensis (Lütken). These three species can be typically found buried beneath
the surface of sandy bottoms at variable depths, from nearly sea level to more than
20 m. They can be occasionally to commonly observed on sandy and muddy
bottoms off Humacao, Naguabo, Ceiba, Fajardo, La Cordillera, Vieques Island and
Culebra Island, off eastern Puerto Rico. But A. antillensis and A. articulatus have
also been observed off Patillas in the southeast, and off Luquillo, Río Grande,
Carolina, San Juan, and Vega Alta, along the northern coast. In addition, Astropecten marginatus (Gray) was also found in high abundance in Luquillo Beach,
Puerto Rico and shares the habitat with Mellita lata (Clark) (Kenk 1944). The
geographic range of A. marginatus comprises Venezuela, Trinidad, Guiana, and
Brazil. They are located as far south as 27°30
0 N.
There are also two species within order Spinulosida, family Echinasteridae. The
conical spined sea star, Echinaster sentus (Say), has been sporadically observed
from variable shallow water bottoms (depth \ 5 m), including seagrass communities, fringing reefs, mixed subaquatic vegetation habitats (algae ? seagrass), and
rocky outcrops from Culebra Island, La Cordillera, and Fajardo. The thorny sea
star, Echinaster echinoporus (Lamarck) was observed only once from Culebra
Island by Hernández-Delgado on a shallow water (depth \ 1 m) transitional
rubble-seagrass-mangrove bottom.
14.3.2 Ophiuroidea Distribution
Six species belonging to four families in the order Ophiurida have been documented. These include Sigsbeia conifera (Koehler) (family Hemieuryalidae). The
rose lace coral brittle star is a highly cryptic, very small and very rare brittle star
species apparently only associated with rose lace coral, Stylaster roseus (Pallas).
Hernandez-Delgado observed only one individual within a reef crevice in Culebra
Island during a night dive in 2002 clinging to a S. roseus colony at a depth of 2 m.
The blunt-spined brittle star, Ophiocoma echinata (Lamarck) (family Ophiocomidae) is a common inhabitant of rubble areas in shallow, protected reef lagoons.
They typically hide during the day under rocks. The reticulated brittle star,
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S. M. Williams et al.
of chronic water quality degradation. Also, this species was largely exploited in the
past by artisans for souvenirs.
Ophidiaster guildingii (Gray), in the family Ophidiasteridae, is very uncommon
and has been documented only from shallow water (depth of 2–5 m) fringing and
patch reefs off Cabo Rojo and Culebra Island. This is a very cryptic species,
usually hidden in reef crevices and overhangs. The common comet sea star,
Linckia guildingi (Gray), is also a rare species due to its cryptic behavior, but has
been documented from coral reefs and rocky reef habitats from Culebra Island,
Humacao, Fajardo, Luquillo, Vega Baja, and Cabo Rojo, at depths ranging from
about 5 to 20 m. Four species have been also documented in the family Astropectinidae, including Astropecten articulatus (Gray), A. duplicatus (Koehler), and
A. antillensis (Lütken). These three species can be typically found buried beneath
the surface of sandy bottoms at variable depths, from nearly sea level to more than
20 m. They can be occasionally to commonly observed on sandy and muddy
bottoms off Humacao, Naguabo, Ceiba, Fajardo, La Cordillera, Vieques Island and
Culebra Island, off eastern Puerto Rico. But A. antillensis and A. articulatus have
also been observed off Patillas in the southeast, and off Luquillo, Río Grande,
Carolina, San Juan, and Vega Alta, along the northern coast. In addition, Astropecten marginatus (Gray) was also found in high abundance in Luquillo Beach,
Puerto Rico and shares the habitat with Mellita lata (Clark) (Kenk 1944). The
geographic range of A. marginatus comprises Venezuela, Trinidad, Guiana, and
Brazil. They are located as far south as 27°30
0 N.
There are also two species within order Spinulosida, family Echinasteridae. The
conical spined sea star, Echinaster sentus (Say), has been sporadically observed
from variable shallow water bottoms (depth \ 5 m), including seagrass communities, fringing reefs, mixed subaquatic vegetation habitats (algae ? seagrass), and
rocky outcrops from Culebra Island, La Cordillera, and Fajardo. The thorny sea
star, Echinaster echinoporus (Lamarck) was observed only once from Culebra
Island by Hernández-Delgado on a shallow water (depth \ 1 m) transitional
rubble-seagrass-mangrove bottom.
14.3.2 Ophiuroidea Distribution
Six species belonging to four families in the order Ophiurida have been documented. These include Sigsbeia conifera (Koehler) (family Hemieuryalidae). The
rose lace coral brittle star is a highly cryptic, very small and very rare brittle star
species apparently only associated with rose lace coral, Stylaster roseus (Pallas).
Hernandez-Delgado observed only one individual within a reef crevice in Culebra
Island during a night dive in 2002 clinging to a S. roseus colony at a depth of 2 m.
The blunt-spined brittle star, Ophiocoma echinata (Lamarck) (family Ophiocomidae) is a common inhabitant of rubble areas in shallow, protected reef lagoons.
They typically hide during the day under rocks. The reticulated brittle star,
456
S. M. Williams et al.