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.
