Recent echinoids (Echinodermata : Echinoidea) from the Maltese Islands and surrounding waters

Abstract

The echinoderm fauna of the Italian peninsula and of most of the surrounding islands is quite well known, mainly through the researches of TORTONESE (see TORTONESE, 1965 and references therein). The echinoderm fauna of the Maltese archipelago on the other hand has received relatively little attention. Indeed, it is true to say that not only the echinoderms, but the marine invertebrate fauna of the Maltese Islands in general is more or less unknown. The Maltese Islands are situated very close to the ridge which separates the Western and ·Eastern basins of the Mediterranean and thus the fauna of their waters is particularly interesting from a zoogeographical point of view. This paper reports on the recent Echinoidea recorded to date from the Maltese Islands.