Checklist of Echinodermata from the coasts of Turkey

According to the benthic studies on echinoderms inhabiting the coasts of Turkey, a total of 91 echinoderm species belonging to 5 classes have been reported. The Aegean Sea coast is represented by the highest number of species (76 species), followed by the Sea of Marmara (64 species), the Levantine Sea (51 species), and the Black Sea (17 species). Sixty-six echinoderm species were found on soft substrata, while 8 species were reported on hard substrata and 17 species on both soft and hard substrata. The majority of the echinoderm species (83 species) were found at depths ranging from 11 to 50 m, while a small number of species (8 species) were reported from the deeper bottoms ( 600 m). Six echinoderm species (Asterias rubens, Amphiodia (Amphispina) obtecta, Ophiactis macrolepidota, Ophiactis savignyi, Diadema setosum, and Synaptula reciprocans) were regarded as alien species.