A century of echinoderm research in Argentina: Irene Bernasconi’s lasting legacy from 1925, with notes on type material and publication chronology

Autores/as

  • Mariano Martínez Laboratorio de Ecosistemas Marinos, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN-CONICET)
  • Alejandro Tablado División Invertebrados, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN-CONICET)
  • Fabrizio Scarabino Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Mariela Romanelli División Invertebrados, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN-CONICET)
  • Malena Pfoh Laboratorio de Crustáceos y Ecosistemas Costeros, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET
  • Renata Pertossi Laboratorio de Ecosistemas Marinos, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN-CONICET)
  • Analía Pérez Centro de Ciencias Naturales, Ambientales y Antropológicas (CCNAA), Universidad Maimónides, Laboratorio de Invertebrados Marinos, CONICET
  • Pablo Penchaszadeh Laboratorio de Ecosistemas Marinos, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN-CONICET)
  • Daniel Lauretta Laboratorio de Ecosistemas Marinos, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN-CONICET)
  • Daniela Huenten Laboratorio de Reproducción y Biología Integrativa de Invertebrados Marinos (LARBIM), Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR), CCT CONICET-CENPAT
  • Damian Gil Laboratorio de Bentos Costero Patagónico. Instituto de Desarrollo Costero (LBCP – IDC). Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco (UNPSJB), Departamento de Biología y Ambiente. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Ciencias de la Salud.
  • Cintia Fraysse Laboratorio de Ecología, Fisiología y Evolución de Organismos Acuáticos, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET)
  • Jonathan Flores Laboratorio de Reproducción y Biología Integrativa de Invertebrados Marinos (LARBIM), Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR), CCT CONICET-CENPAT
  • Lucía Epherra Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), CCT CONICET-CENPAT, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero (INIDEP)
  • Florencia Di Marco Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), CCT CONICET-CENPAT
  • Lorena Arribas Laboratorio de Reproducción y Biología Integrativa de Invertebrados Marinos (LARBIM), Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR), CCT CONICET-CENPAT
  • Ariana Alarcón Saavedra Laboratorio de Reproducción y Biología Integrativa de Invertebrados Marinos (LARBIM), Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR), CCT CONICET-CENPAT
  • Martín Brogger Laboratorio de Reproducción y Biología Integrativa de Invertebrados Marinos (LARBIM), Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR), CCT CONICET-CENPAT

Palabras clave:

fauna marina

Resumen

Irene Bernasconi was a pioneering and internationally recognized echinoderm specialist from Argentina. Her career, which spanned nearly six decades, was marked by significant contributions to the taxonomy of echinoderms, particularly those from the southwestern Atlantic and Antarctic Peninsula. She laid the foundation for the inclusion of women in science in her country. Bernasconi contributed to the description of 25 new taxa (three subspecies, 21 species, one genus). She was based at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN), initially in an honorary role and later as a CONICET researcher. This review addresses the status of the species that she described, including nomenclatural updates. Also we compiled her extensive publication record of 68 research articles, highlighting her focus on asteroids (60% of her studies), echinoids (32%), and ophiuroids (26%), with minor contributions to crinoids and holothuroids (3% for both). The first publication by Bernasconi appeared in 1925, and her final work was completed in 1980, reflecting her valuable commitment to echinoderm studies as a cornerstone in the region.

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Publicado

2025-07-23

Número

Vol. 27 Núm. 1 (2025): Edición conmemorativa en homenaje a Irene Bernasconi [PDFs preliminares]

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