List of echinoderms of the Houtman Abrolhos

Echinothrix calamaris (double spined urchin)

Clypeaster reticulatus (cake urchin)

Echinocardium cordatum

Echinometra mathaei

Holothuria leucospilota

The marine waters of the Houtman Abrolhos, an island chain off the coast of Western Australia, has been recorded as containing 172 species of echinoderm in ?? genera. This extremely high diversity has been attributed to a combination of factors, namely: the position of the Houtman Abrolhos within a biotone between temperate and tropical waters; the wide variety of habitats; and the Leeuwin Current, which both transports tropical species southwards, and keeps the reef warm enough for them to survive.^[1] This is a list of echinoderms of the Houtman Abrolhos:

Crinoidea[]

Lamprometra palmata
Tropiometra afra

Asteroidea[]

Luidia maculata
Goniodiscaster seriatus
Petricia vernicina
Austrofromia polypora
Fromia indica
Fromia monilis
Linckia guildingi
Metrodira subulata
Patiriella brevispina (purple seastar)
Euretaster insignis
Coscinasterias calamaria (eleven-armed seastar)

Ophiuroidea[]

Echinoidea[]

Asthenosoma ijimai
Asthenosoma varium
Centrostephanus tenuispinus
Diadema savignyi
Diadema setosum (long-spined sea urchin)
Echinothrix calamaris (double spined urchin)
Amblypneustes pallidus
Tripneustes gratilla
Echinometra mathaei
Echinostrephus molaris
Heliocidaris erythrogramma
Clypeaster reticulatus (cake urchin)
Breynia desorii
Echinocardium cordatum

Holothuroidea[]

Actinopyga echinites
Bohadschia argus
Holothuria atra
Holothuria edulis
Holothuria leucospilota
Holothuria fuscocinerea
Holothuria nobilis
Holothuria difficilis
Holothuria cinerascens
Holothuria pervicax
Holothuria michaelseni
Holothuria hilla
Holothuria impatiens
Stichopus horrens
Stichopus monotuberculatus
Pentacta quadrangularis
Synaptula recta
Leptosynapta dolabrifera (snot sea cucumber)

Notes[]

Published surveys have not included observations of the crown-of-thorns starfish (Ananthaster planci), and this species is therefore not listed above. However, individuals have occasionally been observed at the Houtman Abrolhos.^[2]

References[]

^ Marsh, L. M. (1994). "Echinoderms of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia and their relationship to the Leeuwin Current". In David, B.; Guille, A.; Feral, J.-P.; Roux, M. (eds.). Echinoderms through time. Rotterdam: Balkema. pp. 55–61.
^ "Towards an assessment of the natural and human use impacts on the marine environment of the Abrolhos Islands, Volume 1: Summary of existing information and current levels of human use" (PDF). Fisheries Research Report No 134. Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-12-01. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[Marsh_1994-1] Marsh, L. M. (1994). "Echinoderms of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia and their relationship to the Leeuwin Current". In David, B.; Guille, A.; Feral, J.-P.; Roux, M. (eds.). Echinoderms through time. Rotterdam: Balkema. pp. 55–61.

[Webster_2002-2] "Towards an assessment of the natural and human use impacts on the marine environment of the Abrolhos Islands, Volume 1: Summary of existing information and current levels of human use" (PDF). Fisheries Research Report No 134. Department of Fisheries, Government of Western Australia. 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2007-12-01. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

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