Actinopyga agassizii | |
---|---|
![]() | |
in spawning posture | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Echinodermata |
Class: | Holothuroidea |
Order: | Holothuriida |
Family: | Holothuriidae |
Genus: | Actinopyga |
Species: | A. agassizii |
Binomial name | |
Actinopyga agassizii | |
Synonyms [5] | |
|
Actinopyga agassizii, commonly known as five-toothed sea cucumber or West Indian sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It was first described by German zoologist Emil Selenka in 1867. It is native to the Western Atlantic region, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, and is harvested for food.
Actinopyga agassizii grows to a maximum length of approximately 35 cm (14 in). It has a white ground color with scattered yellow-brown spots. Its skin is thick and leathery, and its upper side is lined with papillae (conical fleshy protuberances) while rows of tube feet are found on its bottom side. It has five calcareous teeth surrounding its anus, a characteristic from which one of its common names is derived. [6] [7] [8]
Actinopyga agassizii is found in the tropical Western Atlantic region, its range extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Caribbean Sea. It is also found off the coasts of Bermuda. It is nocturnal and inhabits rocky areas, coral reefs, and sea grass beds at depths between 0 and 54 m (177 ft). [1] [6]
Actinopyga agassizii feeds on detritus on algal turfs and sea grass beds and in sandy or rocky areas. An individual possesses only one of the two sexes and has a single gonad. It spawns and fertilizes both externally and may show signs of brooding. Its life cycle consists of the embryo growing into a free-swimming larva before developing a barrel-shaped body and later undergoing metamorphosis to turn into a juvenile sea cucumber. As a mode of self-defence, it can expel clusters of sticky threads called Cuvierian tubules which contain a toxic saponin named holothurin that can paralyze other animals. [6] [8] [9]
Actinopyga agassizii is caught for food in small-scale fisheries. However, the quantities and the locations in which it is fished are currently unknown. It is less popular among fisheries compared with other sea cucumber species, although its popularity may rise when other species with higher demands are exhausted in numbers. Its conservation status is listed by the IUCN as being of "least concern". [1]
The green sea turtle, also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but it is also found in the Indian Ocean. The common name refers to the usually green fat found beneath its carapace, due to its diet strictly being seagrass, not to the color of its carapace, which is olive to black.
The gag grouper, also known as velvet rockfish, the gag, or charcoal belly, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It comes from warmer parts of the West Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It is a drab, mottled-gray fish lacking the distinguishing features of most other groupers. Its pattern of markings resemble the box-shaped spots of the black grouper. It lacks the streamer-points on the tail fin that scamp and yellowmouth grouper have and lacks yellow coloration around the mouth.
Isostichopus badionotus, also known as the chocolate chip cucumber or the cookie dough sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Stichopodidae. This common species is found in warm parts of the Atlantic Ocean.
The yellowfin grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the warmer waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
The cubera snapper, also known as the Cuban snapper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean. It is a commercially important species and is a sought-after game fish, though it has been reported to cause ciguatera poisoning.
Holothuriidae is a family of sea cucumbers, a type of echinoderm.
Actinopyga is a genus of sea cucumbers found in coastal waters in tropical and temperate regions.
The bluestriped grunt, also known as the boar grunt, golden grunt, humpback grunt, redmouth grunt, or yellow grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Apostichopus japonicus is a species of sea cucumber in the family Stichopodidae. It is found in shallow temperate waters along the coasts of south east Asia and is commonly known as the Japanese spiky sea cucumber or the Japanese sea cucumber.
Holothuria parvula, the golden sea cucumber, is a species of echinoderm in the class Holothuroidea. It was first described by Emil Selenka in 1867 and has since been placed in the subgenus Platyperona, making its full scientific name Holothuria (Platyperona) parvula. It is found in shallow areas of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico and is unusual among sea cucumbers in that it can reproduce by breaking in half.
Labidodemas is a genus of marine sea cucumbers in the family Holothuriidae. The genus was erected by Emil Selenka in 1867.
Isostichopus is a genus of sea cucumbers.
Actinopyga echinites, commonly known as the brownfish or deep water redfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific region and is harvested for food.
Actinopyga miliaris, commonly known as the hairy blackfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is native to the tropical West Indo-Pacific region and is harvested for food.
Actinopyga capillata, the hairy sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is found in the tropical West Indo-Pacific region, having a disjunct range, with the main population in island groups in the western Indian Ocean, and a separate population in the Philippines.
Holothuria grisea, the gray sea cucumber, is a mid-sized coastal species of sea cucumber found in shallow tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Southern Brazil and West Africa. They have a variety in color and can range from red to more yellowish with brown markings. They are also a food source for local and international markets with the majority of harvesting taking place in Brazil. This species is currently not over-fished and is not endangered or threatened.
Holothuria (Microthele) nobilis, the black teatfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria. The sea cucumber is found in the tropical waters of the Indo-pacific ocean. It was first described by Emil Selenka in 1867.
Opisthoteuthis agassizii is a lesser-known, deep-sea octopus first described in 1883 by Addison E. Verrill.
Holothuria (Selenkothuria) glaberrima, also known as the brown rock sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria, subgenus Selenkothuria. The cucumber is distributed in the Western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. The species is found at a depth of 0–42 meters.