30 % in the class Asteroidea (Fig. 16.16a). This class was also the predominant at
depths between 0 and 20 m (28 %). The class Ophiuroidea was the predominant at
depths between 200–1,000 m (35 %) and 1,000–2,000 m (42 %). The class Holothuroidea was predominant at depths between 2,000–4,000 m (36 %) and
4,000–6,000 m (55 %). Most species on the Pacific list were found only in one or
two bathymetric intervals (each 36 %) while just 2 and 1 % were found in five and
six bathymetric intervals respectively (Fig. 16.16b). In the Caribbean and Atlantic
list most species were also at depths between 20 and 200 m (568 species)
(Fig. 16.17a), 35 % in the class Ophiuroidea. This class also predominated at
depths between 0–20 m (36 %), 200–1,000 m (37 %) and 1,000–2,000 m (35 %).
The class Asteroidea was predominant at depths between 2,000–4,000 m (38 %)
and 4,000–6,000 m (41 %). Most of the species on the Caribbean and Atlantic list
were found only in two or one bathymetric intervals (41 and 25 %, respectively)
while only 1 and 0.2 % were found in five and six bathymetric intervals respectively (Fig. 16.17b).
According to the depth categories in the Pacific and the Caribbean-Atlantic, the
similarity analysis showed four groups with 40 % resemblance (Fig. 16.18a, b).
The first group is composed by the depths from 0 to 20 m, 20 to 200 m and 200 to
1,000 m. These groups possesses the highest number of species (314, 336, 260
species respectively in the Pacific and 365, 568, 551 species in the CaribbeanAtlantic), Margalef species richness (54.4, 57.5, 46.5 respectively in the Pacific
and 61.5, 89.2, 87.1 respectively in the Caribbean-Atlantic) and Shannon diversity
(5.7, 5.8, 5.5 respectively in the Pacific and 5.8, 6.3, 6.3 respectively in the
Caribbean-Atlantic). The second group is composed by depths from 1,000 to
2,000 m and 2,000 to 4,000 m, that possesses moderate values of number of
species (164 and 134 species in the Pacific and 207 and 114 in the CaribbeanAtlantic), Margalef species richness (31.9 and 27.1 in the Pacific and 38.6 and 23.8
in the Caribbean-Atlantic) and Shannon diversity (5.1 and 4.8 in the Pacific and
5.3 and 4.7 in the Caribbean-Atlantic). The other two groups are composed by only
one bathymetric interval (4,000–6,000 m and 6,000–10,000 m) and possesses the
lowest values of all indices; number of species (55 and 8 species in the Pacific and
32 and 2 in the Caribbean-Atlantic), Margalef species richness (13.4 and 3.3 in the
Pacific and 8.9 and 1.4 in the Caribbean-Atlantic) and Shannon diversity (4.0 and
2.0 in the Pacific and 3.4 and 0.6 in the Caribbean-Atlantic). Of the first two
groups, the Caribbean-Atlantic always had higher values than the Pacific in all the
indices. But in deeper waters (groups 3 and 4), the Pacific was richer than the
Caribbean-Atlantic.
There were 473 species of echinoderms (66 % of the total) in the Pacific
taxonomic list (see appendix) with habitat or substrate information (Fig. 16.19) In
the Caribbean and Atlantic taxonomic list (appendix) there were 630 species
(70 % of the total) with habitat or substrate information (Fig. 16.20). Most of the
species in the Pacific were on rocky bottoms. Of the 294 species, 30 % are in the
class Asteroidea (Fig. 16.19a). This class was also the predominant on rocky and
16 Latin America Echinoderm Biodiversity and Biogeography
539
depths between 0 and 20 m (28 %). The class Ophiuroidea was the predominant at
depths between 200–1,000 m (35 %) and 1,000–2,000 m (42 %). The class Holothuroidea was predominant at depths between 2,000–4,000 m (36 %) and
4,000–6,000 m (55 %). Most species on the Pacific list were found only in one or
two bathymetric intervals (each 36 %) while just 2 and 1 % were found in five and
six bathymetric intervals respectively (Fig. 16.16b). In the Caribbean and Atlantic
list most species were also at depths between 20 and 200 m (568 species)
(Fig. 16.17a), 35 % in the class Ophiuroidea. This class also predominated at
depths between 0–20 m (36 %), 200–1,000 m (37 %) and 1,000–2,000 m (35 %).
The class Asteroidea was predominant at depths between 2,000–4,000 m (38 %)
and 4,000–6,000 m (41 %). Most of the species on the Caribbean and Atlantic list
were found only in two or one bathymetric intervals (41 and 25 %, respectively)
while only 1 and 0.2 % were found in five and six bathymetric intervals respectively (Fig. 16.17b).
According to the depth categories in the Pacific and the Caribbean-Atlantic, the
similarity analysis showed four groups with 40 % resemblance (Fig. 16.18a, b).
The first group is composed by the depths from 0 to 20 m, 20 to 200 m and 200 to
1,000 m. These groups possesses the highest number of species (314, 336, 260
species respectively in the Pacific and 365, 568, 551 species in the CaribbeanAtlantic), Margalef species richness (54.4, 57.5, 46.5 respectively in the Pacific
and 61.5, 89.2, 87.1 respectively in the Caribbean-Atlantic) and Shannon diversity
(5.7, 5.8, 5.5 respectively in the Pacific and 5.8, 6.3, 6.3 respectively in the
Caribbean-Atlantic). The second group is composed by depths from 1,000 to
2,000 m and 2,000 to 4,000 m, that possesses moderate values of number of
species (164 and 134 species in the Pacific and 207 and 114 in the CaribbeanAtlantic), Margalef species richness (31.9 and 27.1 in the Pacific and 38.6 and 23.8
in the Caribbean-Atlantic) and Shannon diversity (5.1 and 4.8 in the Pacific and
5.3 and 4.7 in the Caribbean-Atlantic). The other two groups are composed by only
one bathymetric interval (4,000–6,000 m and 6,000–10,000 m) and possesses the
lowest values of all indices; number of species (55 and 8 species in the Pacific and
32 and 2 in the Caribbean-Atlantic), Margalef species richness (13.4 and 3.3 in the
Pacific and 8.9 and 1.4 in the Caribbean-Atlantic) and Shannon diversity (4.0 and
2.0 in the Pacific and 3.4 and 0.6 in the Caribbean-Atlantic). Of the first two
groups, the Caribbean-Atlantic always had higher values than the Pacific in all the
indices. But in deeper waters (groups 3 and 4), the Pacific was richer than the
Caribbean-Atlantic.
There were 473 species of echinoderms (66 % of the total) in the Pacific
taxonomic list (see appendix) with habitat or substrate information (Fig. 16.19) In
the Caribbean and Atlantic taxonomic list (appendix) there were 630 species
(70 % of the total) with habitat or substrate information (Fig. 16.20). Most of the
species in the Pacific were on rocky bottoms. Of the 294 species, 30 % are in the
class Asteroidea (Fig. 16.19a). This class was also the predominant on rocky and
16 Latin America Echinoderm Biodiversity and Biogeography
539