Combining Morphological Characteristics and DNA Barcoding Techniques Confirm Sea Urchins of the Genus Echinometra (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in Marine Habitat Located at Extreme Regions of the Caribbean Sea.

This article focuses on the molecular and morphological identification of sea urchin species, specifically Echinometra lucunter and Echinometra viridis, along the northern and southern extremes of the Caribbean Sea at Toco, Trinidad, and Big Pine Key, Florida. Using mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I (mt COI) gene sequencing combined with morphological analysis, the study confirmed the presence of E. lucunter color morphotypes in Trinidad for the first time and identified E. viridis in Florida. Genetic sequences from these locations matched those from other Caribbean regions including Puerto Rico, Panama, Belize, Honduras, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, indicating gene flow and wide distribution within the Caribbean. The study highlights the importance of integrating molecular barcoding with traditional morphology to improve accurate species identification, which is critical for understanding marine biodiversity and managing coral reef ecosystems under environmental pressures.