Abstract
The first recorded regular echinoid species from Sri Lanka, “Salmacis virgulatus” (now known as S. virgulata L. Agassiz in L. Agassiz & Desor, 1846), was listed by Agassiz & Desor (1846). Knowledge of Sri Lankan regular echinoids continued to advance until the end of the 19th century. However, there is a gap in knowledge between the mid-20th and the beginning of the 21st centuries due to a lack of systematic studies, with the exception of two checklists published by the IUCN Red List in 2006 and 2012. In the present study, we compiled a species list combining published data and new data based on fieldwork between 2013 and 2015. Echinoids were sampled by snorkelling, diving, examination of fisheries bycatch, and collection of tests from beaches. The updated species list presented in this study includes 39 regular echinoids belonging to 28 genera, nine families, and five orders. Phyllacanthus imperialis (Lamarck, 1816) and Temnopleurus toreumaticus (Leske, 1778), which were not recorded during the last 90 years, were confirmed to still occur in Sri Lanka by the present study. We develop an updated species list of regular echinoids to form a basis for future systematic work. The study recommends further investigation to evaluate the status of deep-sea species and additional field work off the northern and eastern coasts of Sri Lanka.
Highlights
The Echinoidea includes more than 1,000 living species in 70 families (Kroh & Smith 2010; Appeltans et al 2012), and can be divided into two groups, so-called “regular” and irregular, by considering their gross morphology
Apart from that, 22 regular echinoid species were added to this species list based on the most recent literature compilation done by Arachchige et al (2017)
A total of 39 regular echinoid species belonging to 28 genera, nine families, and five orders are included in this species list (Table 1)
Summary
The Echinoidea includes more than 1,000 living species in 70 families (Kroh & Smith 2010; Appeltans et al 2012), and can be divided into two groups, so-called “regular” and irregular, by considering their gross morphology. In contrast to irregular echinoids, which are bilaterally symmetric and have the periproct (containing the anus) at the functionally posterior part of the body, the regular echinoids have a pentaradially symmetric body, or test (Serafy & Fell 1985). In these forms, the periproct is within the apical system at the top (aboral surface) of the animal, opposite the mouth situated on the bottom (oral surface) (Mortensen 1928; Durham & Wagner 1966; Melville & Durham 1966; Saucède et al 2007). Regular echinoids are considered keystone epibenthic organisms in rocky substrates and reefs (Barnes et al 2002; Cebrian & Uriz 2006) as well as in soft bottom habitats (Hardy et al 2011)
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