15.3 Diversity of Echinoderms and Distribution
The echinoderm fauna from the Canary Islands is presently composed of 127
species, nine of Crinoidea, 25 of Asteroidea, 42 of Ophiuroidea, 26 of Echinoidea
and 28 of Holothuroidea. Of these, 71 species inhabit the littoral zone, at depths
less than 50 m (one of Crinoidea, 16 of Asteroidea, 24 of Ophiuroidea, 13 of
Echinoidea and 17 of Holothuroidea) (see Appendix and pictures on Figs. 15.4–8
for the most common species). This biodiversity is similar to that reported for the
Mediterranean (147 species in total, 101 in shallow water) or the British Isles (119
and 71 respectively). It is higher than the reported in other archipelagos such as
Cabo Verde (66 species in total and 42 in shallow waters) but this is due probably
to differences in sampling effort.
The present status of the echinoderm fauna of the Archipelago needs a major
revision, because many citations come from old works and indirect references,
some species reported could be misidentifications. For example, Holothuria
(Lessonothuria) poli, was reported for the Canary Islands by Ludwig (Greef, in
Theel 1886), Herouard (Tortonese 1965) and for Palma by Tortonese (1965). We
have never found the species in our sampling of the different islands. In the same
way, the cluster composed of Holothuria (Holothuria) stellati, Holothuria (Holothuria) tubulosa, Holothuria (Holothuria) mammata and Holothuria (Holothuria)
dakarensis, which have been cited for the archipelago, must be reduced to Holothuria (Holothuria) mammata after the taxonomic and genetic review of the
group in Atlanto-Mediterranean waters by Borrero-Pérez et al. (2009). According
to their results, H. dakarensis would be restricted to the Cape Verde Islands and
the coast of West Africa, H. mammata to the Atlanto-Mediterranean area and H.
tubulosa to the Mediterranean Sea. Holothuria stellati was considered a junior
subjective synonym of H. tubulosa.
The small holothuroid Holothuria (Holothuria) helleri was reported by PérezRuzafa (1984) and Pérez-Ruzafa et al. (1984a) from samples of coral branches at
102 m depth, but the validity of this species must be reviewed as it could be
confused with juveniles of other Holothuria species.
Some confusion has existed with species with anfiatlantic distributions. Lessios
et al. (2001) divided Diadema antillarum into Western and Eastern Atlantic clades
from a molecular genetic analysis. This could also be the case for the small
brooding holothuria Neocnus incubans, reported at the Canary Islands as its only
locality of its distribution in the Atlantic Ocean (Pérez-Ruzafa et al. 1984a; PérezRuzafa et al. 1984b).
Shallow rocky bottoms are inhabited by few species. The more conspicuous are
the sea stars Ophidiaster ophidianus, Coscinasterias tenuispina and Marthasterias
glacialis, the holothuroid Holothuria (Platyperona) sanctori, and the sea urchins
Diadema africana, Arbacia lixula and Paracentrotus lividus. The three sea urchins
coexist at all depths down to 30 m, but some vertical zonation can be observed in
their distribution (Tuya et al. 2007). Paracentrotus lividus is herbivorous and
dominates in shallower areas, from 0 to 5 m depth, with algal cover and well
484
J. C. Hernández et al.
The echinoderm fauna from the Canary Islands is presently composed of 127
species, nine of Crinoidea, 25 of Asteroidea, 42 of Ophiuroidea, 26 of Echinoidea
and 28 of Holothuroidea. Of these, 71 species inhabit the littoral zone, at depths
less than 50 m (one of Crinoidea, 16 of Asteroidea, 24 of Ophiuroidea, 13 of
Echinoidea and 17 of Holothuroidea) (see Appendix and pictures on Figs. 15.4–8
for the most common species). This biodiversity is similar to that reported for the
Mediterranean (147 species in total, 101 in shallow water) or the British Isles (119
and 71 respectively). It is higher than the reported in other archipelagos such as
Cabo Verde (66 species in total and 42 in shallow waters) but this is due probably
to differences in sampling effort.
The present status of the echinoderm fauna of the Archipelago needs a major
revision, because many citations come from old works and indirect references,
some species reported could be misidentifications. For example, Holothuria
(Lessonothuria) poli, was reported for the Canary Islands by Ludwig (Greef, in
Theel 1886), Herouard (Tortonese 1965) and for Palma by Tortonese (1965). We
have never found the species in our sampling of the different islands. In the same
way, the cluster composed of Holothuria (Holothuria) stellati, Holothuria (Holothuria) tubulosa, Holothuria (Holothuria) mammata and Holothuria (Holothuria)
dakarensis, which have been cited for the archipelago, must be reduced to Holothuria (Holothuria) mammata after the taxonomic and genetic review of the
group in Atlanto-Mediterranean waters by Borrero-Pérez et al. (2009). According
to their results, H. dakarensis would be restricted to the Cape Verde Islands and
the coast of West Africa, H. mammata to the Atlanto-Mediterranean area and H.
tubulosa to the Mediterranean Sea. Holothuria stellati was considered a junior
subjective synonym of H. tubulosa.
The small holothuroid Holothuria (Holothuria) helleri was reported by PérezRuzafa (1984) and Pérez-Ruzafa et al. (1984a) from samples of coral branches at
102 m depth, but the validity of this species must be reviewed as it could be
confused with juveniles of other Holothuria species.
Some confusion has existed with species with anfiatlantic distributions. Lessios
et al. (2001) divided Diadema antillarum into Western and Eastern Atlantic clades
from a molecular genetic analysis. This could also be the case for the small
brooding holothuria Neocnus incubans, reported at the Canary Islands as its only
locality of its distribution in the Atlantic Ocean (Pérez-Ruzafa et al. 1984a; PérezRuzafa et al. 1984b).
Shallow rocky bottoms are inhabited by few species. The more conspicuous are
the sea stars Ophidiaster ophidianus, Coscinasterias tenuispina and Marthasterias
glacialis, the holothuroid Holothuria (Platyperona) sanctori, and the sea urchins
Diadema africana, Arbacia lixula and Paracentrotus lividus. The three sea urchins
coexist at all depths down to 30 m, but some vertical zonation can be observed in
their distribution (Tuya et al. 2007). Paracentrotus lividus is herbivorous and
dominates in shallower areas, from 0 to 5 m depth, with algal cover and well
484
J. C. Hernández et al.