Asteroidea (Echinodermata) from Uruguay (SW Atlantic): an annotated checklist and zoogeographic considerations

Abstract

The diversity of Asteroidea from the Southwestern Atlantic between 30°S and 40°S (southern Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentinean waters) has been thoroughly studied since the late 19^thcentury. However, like many other benthic metazoans, the existing knowledge of species particularly reported from Uruguayan waters has remained disperse and scarcely considered until now. This work aims to compile, analyze, and discuss all published records of sea-stars from Uruguay. These correspond to 42 species for which detailed locations are available. Some of these localities were originally vague and are clarified here. Based on current knowledge, this asteroid fauna includes mostly tropical and subtropical as well as Antarctic and subantarctic shelf and deepwater species, with three deepwater endemisms standing out (Psilaster herwigi, Dytaster grandis nobilis and Pythonaster murrayi). Future research should focus on analyzing the abundant unstudied material available in collections and developing deep-sea sampling and integrative taxonomy.