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Zookeys
2014 Jan 01;449:1-56. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.449.6813.
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Taxonomic guide and historical review of starfishes in northeastern Brazil (Echinodermata, Asteroidea).
Gondim AI
,
Christoffersen ML
,
Pereira Dias TL
.
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Presently more than 1900 species of sea stars are recognized, of which 77 are recorded for the coast of Brazil. Although the first starfish record in Brazil was published 363 years ago, our knowledge of this fauna remains unsatisfactory from a systematic and ecological point of view, particularly in the north and northeastern regions of the country. This study provides the first annotated list of sea stars from northeastern Brazil. Material described herein is housed at the collections of the Federal University of Paraíba, Federal University of Sergipe, and the Federal University of Bahia, Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo and Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro. Twenty-one species were identified, belonging to 12 genera, 10 families, and 5 orders. Descriptions of species are provided. Three new occurrences were recorded for northeast Brazil: Astropectenalligator, Luidialudwigiscotti, and Mithrodiaclavigera. Highest diversities of Asteroidea were encountered for the states of Bahia (n = 14 spp), Paraíba (n = 12 spp) and Pernambuco (n = 9 spp). No species were recorded for the states of Maranhão and Sergipe. Sandy substrates and depths below 10 m were the least sampled areas over the continental shelf. Herein we provide a first panorama on the fauna of Asteroidea occurring in the northeast region of Brazil, hopefully to function as a basic reference for biodiversity studies in this poorly studied area.
Figure 1. Map of the Americas showing the northeast region of Brazil divided in the nine states. MA Maranhão PI Piauà CE Ceará RN Rio Grande do Norte PB ParaÃba PE Pernambuco AL Alagoas SE Sergipe, and BA Bahia.
Figure 2. Some littoral environmnets and shallow-water biotopes used as habitats by sea stars in northeastern Brazil. A Fringing reef B Beach rocks C
Algae banks D Rhodolith bed E Seagrass bed F Patch reef, and G Mangroves. Photos: Thelma LP Dias.
Figure 3. Some species of the family Luidiidae recorded in northeastern Brazil. Luidia
alternata
alternata
(A–D). A Abactinal view, in detail the paxilla B Actinal view, in detail the pedicellariae C Abactinal view of the arm D Actinal view of the arm; Luidia
clathrata
(E–H)
E Abactinal view F Actinal view, in detail the mouth G Abactinal view of the arm, in detail the paxilla, and H Actinal view of the arm.
Figure 4. Some species of the family Luidiidae recorded in northeastern Brazil. Luidia
ludwigi
scotti
(A–D)
A Abactinal view, in detail abactinal intermediate area B Actinal view, in detail the mouth C Abactinal view of the arm, in detail the paxilla D Actinal view. Luidia
senegalensis
(E–H)
E Abactinal view F Actinal view, in detail the mouth G Abactinal view of the arm, in detail the paxilla, and H Actinal view of the arm.
Figure 5. Some species of the family Astropectinidae recorded in northeastern Brazil. Astropecten
alligator
(A–D)
A Abactinal view, in detail of the paxilla B Actinal view, in detail of mouth C Abactinal view of the arm D Actinal view of the arm; Astropecten
cingulatus
(E–H)
E Abactinal view, in detail the paxilla F Actinal view G Abactinal view of the arm, and H Actinal view of the arm.
Figure 6. Some species of the family Astropectinidae recorded in northeastern Brazil. Astropecten
marginatus
(A–E)
A Abactinal view B Actinal view C Abactinal view of the arm D Detail of the superomarginal fig, and E Actinal view of the arm.
Figure 7. Some species of the order Valvatida recorded in northeastern Brazil. Asterinides
folium
(A–E)
A Abactinal view, in detail the superomarginal figs B Actinal view, in detail actinal internidate area C Detail the abactinal intermediate are D Actinal view of the arm E Detail of the mouth; Mithrodia
clavigera
(F–I)
F Abactinal view G Actinal view, in detail the mouth H Abactinal view of the arm, in detail a spine, and I Actinal view of the arm.
Figure 8. Some species of the order Valvatida recorded in northeastern Brazil. Oreaster
reticulatus
(A–G)
A Abactinal view B Actinal view C Detail view da abactinal surface D Detail of the mouth E Actinal view of the arm F Detail of the bivalve pedicellariae, and G Skeleton, in detail its arrangement into a reticulum.
Figure 9. Some species of the order Velatida
(A–H) and Forcipulatida
(I–M) recorded in northeastern Brazil. Calyptraster
coa
(A–H)
A Abactinal view, in detail the supradorsal membrane B Actinal view C Detail of the paxillae with long peduncles D Actinal view of the arm E Detail of the mouth F Detail of the actinal intermediate area G Abactinal view, in detail oscular valves H Actinal view; Coscinasterias
tenuispina
(I–M)
I Abactinal view J Actinal view L Abactinal view of the arm, in detail the bivalve pedicallariae (optical microscopic image), and M Lateral view of the arms, in detail the bivalve pedicellariae (optical microscopic image).
Figure 10. Some species of the order Velatida recorded in northeastern Brazil. Linckia
guildingi
(A–E)
A Abactinal view B Actinal view C Abactinal view of the arm D Actinal view of the arm E Detail of the mouth; Narcissia
trigonaria
(F–J)
F Abactinal view G Actinal view, in detail the mouth H Lateral view I Abactinal view of the arm, and J Actinal view of the arm.
Figure 11. Some species of the order Spinulosida recorded in northeastern Brazil. Echinaster (Othilia) brasiliensis
(A–E)
A Abactinal view B Actinal view C Abactinal view of the arm D Actinal view of the arm E Arranjo do endoqesquelto do braço; Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus
(F–J)
F Abactinal view G Actinal view H Abactinal view of the arm I Actinal view of the arm; and H Arranjo do endoesqueleto do braço.
Figure 12. Some common starfishes in their natural habitat. A
Luidia
senegalensis in a sand beach B
Astropecten
marginatus in a hypersaline mangrove C
Oreaster
reticulatus in a sand beach D
Linckia
guildingi on coral reefs E
Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus in seagrass beds and F
Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus over the muddy bottom of a hypersaline mangrove. Photos: Thelma LP Dias.
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