engleski

Echinodermata of the marine National park Kornati (Adriatic Sea)

In this part of the Adriatic Sea echinoderms were little researched. The present study contributes to the inventory of marine fauna of the National Park Kornati. Echinoderms were collected by skin and SCUBA diving, and with a grab and commercial otter trawl. Data published previously and personal communications were considered as well. We noted 61 species, i.e. 59% of the Adriatic Sea echinoderms. Information on local distribution, ecological and other relevant data were provided. Ossicles of Holothuria helleri and Labidoplax digit data were specially studied. Kornati archipelago is the first Adriatic finding area of some species. Findings of Phyllophorus urna, Ophidiaster ophidianus, Ophiacantha setosa, Amphiura securigera, Ophiopsila species, and Centrostephanus longispinus widely extended their distributional patterns in the Adriatic Sea. The National Park Kornati echinofauna is rather diverse, but the scaracity of some taxa remains unexplained. Kornati archipelago environment is a crossing area of distributional patterns of northern and southern species.

echinodermata; ecology; distribution; National park Kornati; Adriatic Sea

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