Kinorhynch assemblages on the southern Gulf of Mexico continental shelf

Abstract

So far, 24 named kinorhynch species have been reported from the Southern Gulf of Mexico, and out of these only five are Echinoderes species. The present study focuses on Echinoderidae species at 29 sites from sGoM and includes new information for non-Echinoderidae species. The study revealed the presence of 28 Echinoderidae species in total, and a rich undescribed fauna, including one species of Fissuroderes and 18 Echinoderes species. The species composition through the depth gradient was significantly different. The variability of environmental conditions measured suggests a decreasing intensity of disturbance as depth increases, which influenced the diversity increasing from shallow sites (16–200 m) to medium depth sites (391–725 m) and decreasing again when reach deep sites (>953 m). The non-Echinoderidae species did not show significant trends. The total kinorhynch community was represented by 46 species and statistical analyses revealed similar trends as observed for the Echinoderidae assemblage. The richness recorded in sGoM was greater than the 32 species reported in nGoM.