This paper provides an analysis of the distribution patterns of marine biodiversity and summarizes the major activities of the Census of Marine Life program in the Caribbean region. The coastal Caribbean region is a large marine ecosystem (LME) characterized by coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses, but including other environments, such as sandy beaches and rocky shores. These tropical ecosystems incorporate a high diversity of associated flora and fauna, and the nations that border the Caribbean collectively encompass a major global marine biodiversity hot spot. We analyze the state of knowledge of marine biodiversity based on the geographic distribution of georeferenced species records and regional taxonomic lists. A total of 12,046 marine species are reported in this paper for the Caribbean region. These include representatives from 31 animal phyla, two plant phyla, one group of Chromista, and three groups of Protoctista. Sampling effort has been greatest in shallow, nearshore waters, where there is relatively good coverage of species records; offshore and deep environments have been less studied. Additionally, we found that the currently accepted classification of marine ecoregions of the Caribbean did not apply for the benthic distributions of five relatively well known taxonomic groups. Coastal species richness tends to concentrate along the Antillean arc (Cuba to the southernmost Antilles) and the northern coast of South America (Venezuela – Colombia), while no pattern can be observed in the deep sea with the available data. Several factors make it impossible to determine the extent to which these distribution patterns accurately reflect the true situation for marine biodiversity in general: (1) highly localized concentrations of collecting effort and a lack of collecting in many areas and ecosystems, (2) high variability among collecting methods, (3) limited taxonomic expertise for many groups, and (4) differing levels of activity in the study of different taxa.

Costa Rica’s Marine Protected Areas: status and perspectives

The Caribbean is considered a unique biogeographic province, being one of the top five hotspots in the world for marine and terrestrial biodiversity. The echinoderm research on the Caribbean began in the middle of the nineteenth century, and during the first half of the twentieth century most of the species were described. The number of ecological studies increased in the 1970s that continues until today, mostly focused on Diadema antillarum. Based on an extensive review of published records, the Caribbean echinoderm fauna is composed of 433 species, 237 genera, 80 families, 29 orders in five classes, with four endemic species. The richest class is Ophiuroidea with 148 species followed by the class Asteroidea with 116 species. Mexico and Colombia are the richest countries with 182 and 180 species respectively, while Costa Rica and Guatemala are the less diverse with fewer than 50 species. In general terms, the Caribbean is very homogeneous in species composition; however, Colombia and Mexico are the countries more dissimilar in composition with respect to the rest of countries. This semi-enclosed sea represents 6.5% of the total diversity of the phylum worldwide, and is the second most diverse area in tropical America, after Gulf of Mexico. Six species of echinoderms are extracted for commercial use, mostly in Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela and Cuba. However, extraction for the souvenir trade, without any regulation and control, is one of the major threats for some animals—especially the sea star Oreaster reticulatus. Research priorities for this group in the Caribbean include exploration of the deep sea, the Central American region and the Lesser Antilles. Moreover, because of its rich biodiversity, research and conservation efforts have to be directed towards its preservation, avoiding illegal extraction, enforcing controls, and improving coastal zone management.