First record of the heart urchin Plagiobrissus grandis (Gmelin, 1791) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in the coastal region of Paraná, southern Brazil

Abstract

This study presents the first record of the cordiform echinoid Plagiobrissus grandis (Gmelin, 1791) (Echinoidea: Spatangoida: Brissidae) in Paraná’s shallow inner shelf, in addition to a brief description of its location, body measurements, sex determination, and reproductive status. Two specimens were recorded between 2015 (bycatch by artisanal fishing) and 2016 (observed by scuba diving). The only specimen – with severe signs of weakness – captured was donated to Associação MarBrasil and kept in an aquarium for rehabilitation (8 days), where it was possible to observe digging movements, burying skills (partially), and camouflage or covering behavior. The organism was sent to the UNESPAR campus of Paranaguá and was photographed, measured (length: 155.65 mm, width: 118.93 mm, and maximum test height: 41.31 mm), fixed, and properly preserved. Digitized images of the histological preparation showed that it was a female in the recovery stage (or nutritional reserve) of the reproductive cycle. Regardless of their limitations, the current records for the Brissidae family in South Atlantic are still concentrated on the Brazilian coast, contributing to the understanding of zoogeographic, ecological, morphophysiological, and behavioral aspects of the spatangoid echinoids.