Annotated and illustrated list of echinoderms collected during the Colombian scientific expeditions to the Antarctica (2016-2019)

Abstract

I n order to contribute to the base line of knowledge that is being built of the Gerlache Strait and the adjacent areas, the echinoderms collected during the Scientific Expeditions from Colombia to Antarctica carried out between 2016 and 2019 as part of the project “Biodiversity and oceanographic conditions of the Gerlache Strait, Biogerlache-Antártica” are presented. Eleven stations between 54 and 523 m deep were sampled, using sediment dredgers that captured incidentally some individuals from the mega and macro-epifauna, which were separated, reviewed and identified. Twentynine (29) individuals were obtained in five of the sampled stations, belonging to 13 morphotypes. Ophiuroidea was the richest class (five morphotypes), followed by Holothuroidea (four), Asteroidea (two) and Crinoidea (two). Morphological and distribution comments are presented, as well as general and detailed images of each morphotype. Among the contributions to the inventory of echinoderms in the area, it is highlighted the sea cucumber genus Taeniogyrus Semper, 1867 that is registered for the first time for the Antarctic peninsula and the crinoid species Anthometrina adriani (Bell, 1908) that extends its geographical distribution, confined to the high-Antarctic shelf, up to the Gerlache Strait ( 64° 39 ‘S).