A century of echinoderm research in Argentina: Irene Bernasconi’s lasting legacy from 1925, with notes on type material and publication chronology

Irene Bernasconi was the pioneering and world-wide recognized echinoderm specialist from Argentina. Her career, spanning nearly six decades, was marked by significant contributions to the taxonomy of echinoderms mainly from southwestern Atlantic and Antarctic Peninsula and laid the foundation for the inclusion of women in science in her country. Based honorary at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” (MACN) and later as a CONICET researcher, Bernasconi contributed to the description of 25 new taxa (3 subspecies, 21 species, 1 genus). This review addresses the status of the species she described, including nomenclatural updates and compiles her extensive publication record of 68 research articles, highlighting her focus on asteroids (60% of her studies), echinoids (32%), and ophiuroids (26%), with minor contributions to crinoids and holothuroids (3% for both). The first publication by Bernasconi appeared in 1925, and her final work was completed in 1980, reflecting her valuable commitment to echinoderm studies as a cornerstone in the region.