ABSTRACT
Several french oceanographic expeditions have permitted to explore the bathyal slope, off the New Caledonia Island (South Western Pacific), between 300 and 2 900 metres depth. During these recent cruises (Biocal, Biogeocal, Musorstom IV-VI, Smib, Calsub), many stalked Crinoids of different families were sampled, or observed and took in pictures with the help of the IFREMER submarine “Cyana”.
The New Caledonian Crinoid fauna is relatively abundant but less diversified that the fauna which was collected off the Philippines Islands (Western Pacific). A first list of this stalked Crinoid fauna (13 taxa identified) is established in this paper with a description of three new species (Metacrinus levii n. sp., Caledonicrinus vaubani n. sp., Proeudesicrinus lifouensis n. sp.) belonging to two new genera (Caledonicrinus n. gen., Proeudesicrinus n. gen.). Further descriptions are supplied for some taxa (Naumachocrinus hawaiiensis, Gymnocrinus, Guillecrinus).
Nevertheless, New Caledonian stalked Crinoid fauna appears to be the most archaic in the recent oceans with close relationship with the fossil fauna of the Mesozoic Mesogean Sea. Many taxa have indeed very ancient affinities. Guillecrinus sp. is the only living representative of the Paleozoic subclass Inadunata. Proisocrinus ruberrimus, Gymnocrinus richeri, Proeudesicrinus lifouensis have relationships with Jurassic adaptative radiation. Caledonicrinus vaubani is the most archaic (late Cretaceous affinities) and the shallower species of the deep-sea family Bathycrinidae. Consequently, historical biogeography and phylogeny of the Indo-Pacific stalked Crinoids through Post-Paleozoic times are discussed with regard to the origin of New Caledonia fauna.
