Solis-Marin 2008; Honey-Escandón et al. 2008; Torres-Martinez et al. 2008;
Hernandez-Herrejon et al. 2008, 2010; Laguarda-Figueras and Solis-Marin 2009;
Martinez-Melo and Solis-Marin 2010; Honey-Escandón et al. 2011).
Mexico has 643 species of echinoderms in its territorial seas. The Class Crinoidea is the least represented with 29 species (4 %) while the Class Ophiuroidea
is the richest class with 197 species (31 %). The Class Asteroidea is the second
richest class with 185 species (29 %) and the Class Echinoidea is the third most
diverse group with 119 species (19 %) reported in both Pacific and Atlantic
oceans. The Class Holothuroidea has 113 species (17 %).
It is important to make some recommendations: It is necessary to carry out
more ecological studies. The low number and limited scope of publications about
the ecology of echinoderms in Mexico provides evidence of an unequal and
limited development of ecological studies of echinoderms. Few papers exist
concerning analyses of echinoderm communities in Mexico. It is important to
generate more information about their density and other population parameters,
including growth, reproduction, feeding and their relation with the biotic and
abiotic environment. Evaluation must be made of environmental factors that could
influence their presence in a certain location, including studies about their
vulnerability to climatic change. This information will be of great importance, not
only for the scientific knowledge but for verification of ecological theories and a
better description of the autoecologic (individual) and synecologic (community)
relations. It could also establish strategies leading towards the sustainable production and administration of economically important echinoderms as a resource
and search for alternatives to increase their production through aquaculture.
The study of sea cucumber aquaculture in Mexico has not begun despite their
high market value and their detritivorous feeding which makes them attractive for
cultivation. Since the body wall is the commercial product from sea cucumbers, it
is necessary to perform studies on the optimization of its production. Considering
that the techniques for holothurian aquaculture are being optimized, particularly in
Asiatic regions, we should take advantage of this technological expansion to set up
culture programs for our own species (i. e. I. fuscus and I. badionotus). This could
also bring environmental profit, since it would diminish the illegal fishery that is
currently observed extensively in Mexican waters.
It is very possible that the list of echinoderms present in Mexican waters is
larger than the one presented here. In particular, the deep sea of the country has
been little studied. Most expeditions covering this area have been made by
institutions of other countries where a great amount of information that is difficult
to access is deposited. Because of this, it is necessary to have available catalogues
of echinoderms with information about their biology, ecology, distribution and
fisheries, in order to improve the access to information and with it the promotion of
studies on echinoderms of Mexico.
As we prepare and train more specialists in echinoderm studies in our country,
it will be possible to amply advance the range of studies that are now required.
48
F. A. Solís-Marín et al.
Hernandez-Herrejon et al. 2008, 2010; Laguarda-Figueras and Solis-Marin 2009;
Martinez-Melo and Solis-Marin 2010; Honey-Escandón et al. 2011).
Mexico has 643 species of echinoderms in its territorial seas. The Class Crinoidea is the least represented with 29 species (4 %) while the Class Ophiuroidea
is the richest class with 197 species (31 %). The Class Asteroidea is the second
richest class with 185 species (29 %) and the Class Echinoidea is the third most
diverse group with 119 species (19 %) reported in both Pacific and Atlantic
oceans. The Class Holothuroidea has 113 species (17 %).
It is important to make some recommendations: It is necessary to carry out
more ecological studies. The low number and limited scope of publications about
the ecology of echinoderms in Mexico provides evidence of an unequal and
limited development of ecological studies of echinoderms. Few papers exist
concerning analyses of echinoderm communities in Mexico. It is important to
generate more information about their density and other population parameters,
including growth, reproduction, feeding and their relation with the biotic and
abiotic environment. Evaluation must be made of environmental factors that could
influence their presence in a certain location, including studies about their
vulnerability to climatic change. This information will be of great importance, not
only for the scientific knowledge but for verification of ecological theories and a
better description of the autoecologic (individual) and synecologic (community)
relations. It could also establish strategies leading towards the sustainable production and administration of economically important echinoderms as a resource
and search for alternatives to increase their production through aquaculture.
The study of sea cucumber aquaculture in Mexico has not begun despite their
high market value and their detritivorous feeding which makes them attractive for
cultivation. Since the body wall is the commercial product from sea cucumbers, it
is necessary to perform studies on the optimization of its production. Considering
that the techniques for holothurian aquaculture are being optimized, particularly in
Asiatic regions, we should take advantage of this technological expansion to set up
culture programs for our own species (i. e. I. fuscus and I. badionotus). This could
also bring environmental profit, since it would diminish the illegal fishery that is
currently observed extensively in Mexican waters.
It is very possible that the list of echinoderms present in Mexican waters is
larger than the one presented here. In particular, the deep sea of the country has
been little studied. Most expeditions covering this area have been made by
institutions of other countries where a great amount of information that is difficult
to access is deposited. Because of this, it is necessary to have available catalogues
of echinoderms with information about their biology, ecology, distribution and
fisheries, in order to improve the access to information and with it the promotion of
studies on echinoderms of Mexico.
As we prepare and train more specialists in echinoderm studies in our country,
it will be possible to amply advance the range of studies that are now required.
48
F. A. Solís-Marín et al.