The marine waters of the Houtman Abrolhos, an island chain off the coast of Western Australia, has been recorded as containing 172 species of echinoderm in ?? genera. This extremely high diversity has been attributed to a combination of factors, namely: the position of the Houtman Abrolhos within a biotone between temperate and tropical waters; the wide variety of habitats; and the Leeuwin Current, which both transports tropical species southwards, and keeps the reef warm enough for them to survive. This is a list of echinoderms of the Houtman Abrolhos:
Crinoidea
Capillaster multiradiatus
Clarkcomanthus littoralis
Comanthus alternans
Comanthus briareus
Comanthus gisleni
Comanthus parvicirrus
Comanthus wahlbergi
Comanthina variabilis
Comaster distinctus
Comatella maculata
Comatella nigra
Comatella stelligera
Comatula pectinata
Comatula purpurea
Comatula solaris
Comatulella brachiolata
Zygometra comata
Zygometra elegans
Decametra studeri
Petrasometra clarae
Petrasometra helianthoides
Amphimetra tessellata
Lamprometra palmata
Tropiometra afra
Ptilometra macronema
Neometra conaminis
Antedon parviflora
Dorometra nana
Asteroidea
Luidia maculata
Astropecten granulatus
Astropecten preissi
Astropecten triseriatus
Astropecten vappa
Astropecten zebra
Archaster angulatus
Pentagonaster duebeni
Stellaster inspinosus
Goniodiscaster seriatus
Anthenea australiae
Anthenea obesa
Gymnanthenea globigera
Nectria macrobrachia
Pentaceraster alveolatus
Pentaceraster gracilis
Pentaceraster regulus
Protoreaster alveolatus
Asterodiscides culcitulus
Asterodiscides macroplax
Asterodiscides soelae
Petricia vernicina
Austrofromia polypora
Bunaster variegatus
Fromia indica
Fromia monilis
Fromia pacifica
Leiaster leachi
Linckia guildingi
Linckia multiflora
Nardoa galatheae
Ophidiaster cribrarius
Metrodira subulata
Anseropoda rosacea
Asterina cepheus
Manasterina longispina
Nepanthia crassa
Paranepanthia rosea
Patiriella brevispina (purple seastar) Euretaster insignis Echinaster arcystatus Echinaster glomeratus Echinaster varicolor Allostichaster polyplax Coscinasterias calamaria (eleven-armed seastar)
Ophiuroidea
Ophiomyxa australis
Astrobrachion adhaerens
Astroboa granulatus
Astrosierra microconus
Euryale aspera
Amphioplus depressus
Amphipholis squamata
Amphistigma minuta
Amphiura brachyactis
Amphiura constricta
Amphiura multiremula
Amphiura nannodes
Amphiura septemspinosa
Amphiura velox
Ophiactis acosmeta
Ophiactis luteomaculata
Ophiactis modesta
Ophiactis resiliens
Ophiactis savignya
Ophiactis tricolor
Macrophiothrix caenosa
Macrophiothrix paucispina
Ophiothela danae
Ophiothrix caespitosa
Ophiothrix ciliaris
Ophiothrix spongicola
Ophiocoma dentata
Ophiocoma erinaceus
Ophiocoma occidentalis
Ophiocoma pusilla
Ophiocomella sexradia
Ophionereis dubia
Ophionereis schayeri
Ophiarachnella gorgonia
Ophiarachnella ramsayi
Ophioconis cincta
Dictenophiura stellata
Ophiocrossota multispina
Ophioplocus imbricatus
Ophiura kinbergi
Echinoidea
Phyllacanthus irregularis
Prionocidaris baculosa
Prionocidaris bispinosa
Asthenosoma ijimai
Asthenosoma varium
Centrostephanus tenuispinus
Diadema savignyi
Diadema setosum (long-spined sea urchin) Echinothrix calamaris (double spined urchin) Amblypneustes pallidus Holopneustes porosissimus Salmaciella dussumieri Temnopleurus alexandri Nudechinus scotiopremnus Pseudoboletia indiana Tripneustes gratilla Echinometra mathaei Echinostrephus molaris Heliocidaris erythrogramma Echinodiscus auritus Clypeaster fervens Clypeaster reticulatus (cake urchin) Peronella lesueuri Peronella orbicularis Breynia desorii Echinocardium cordatum