186 



NOAA Technical Report NMFS 140 



Following the procedure established above for the 

 other major taxa, the figures relating to Echinoder- 

 mata (Figs. 202-207) will be presented here, and a 

 detailed discussion of the phylum will be presented in 

 the section "Dominant Components of the Macro- 

 benthos" below. Discussion of the five classes of echino- 

 derms follows. 



Crinoidea — Crinoids formed a minute portion of the 

 New England benthic fauna. Members of this group 



were obtained at only two stations. Six specimens that 

 totaled 0.16 g in weight were taken at station 1038 in 

 the Gulf of Maine. Water depth at this locality was 203 

 m; bottom sediments were of sand-silt. Two specimens 

 that weighed 0.02 g were taken at station 2185 in the 

 Georges Slope area. Water depth at this locality was 

 1,420 m; bottom sediments were composed of silt-clay. 

 The annual range in bottom water temperature at each 

 of these sites was less than 4°C. Organic carbon content 

 at station 1038 was 0.40% and at station 2185, 0.55%. 



