| Actinopyga mauritiana | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Holothuroidea |
| Order: | Holothuriida |
| Family: | Holothuriidae |
| Genus: | Actinopyga |
| Species: | A. mauritiana |
| Binomial name | |
| Actinopyga mauritiana | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
Actinopyga mauritiana, commonly known as the surf redfish, [3] 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 mauritiana grows to a length of about 220 to 350 mm (9 to 14 in), with a maximum width of 10 cm (4 in). The body wall is rough, leathery, and has a maximum thickness of 6 mm (0 in). The bivium is dark brown or orange in coloration, with occasional white spots, and is sometimes wrinkled. It is wider in the middle, and tapers out on either end. The bivium is also covered in long and slender papilles, which are typically dark orange or brown in coloration. The trivium is white in coloration, and covered in many stout podia. The anus is surrounded by twenty-five anal teeth, and the pinkish Cuvierian tubules, unlike other sea cucumbers, are never expelled. [3]
Actinopyga mauritiana is found off the coasts of Asia and Africa, in the tropical Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from as far east as the Red Sea to as far west as Hawaii. It is particularly common off the coast of Madagascar, where it can be found on the west coast from the south of Toliara to Nosy Be. It is found near outer reef flats and fringe reefs, and is more active during the day, when it feeds on substrate. It can be found in depths of 0 to 50 m (0 to 160 ft). [1]
This species is harvested commercially for food throughout its range. It is used in the production of bêche-de-mer, which is consumed as a delicacy, and is of greater importance in times of hardship. It is harvested by 22 countries and island states in the Western Central Pacific, and is one of the top three species for local subsistence.
Because it is easy to collect, it is over-exploited in many areas, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that populations have declined by 60 to 90% over at least 60% of its range. It further estimates that is overexploited in 25% of its range, and it has assessed the conservation status as vulnerable due to this. [1]
Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea. They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. They are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of known holothurian species worldwide is about 1,786, with the greatest number being in the Asia-Pacific region. Many of these are gathered for human consumption and some species are cultivated in aquaculture systems. The harvested product is variously referred to as trepang, namako, bêche-de-mer, or balate. Sea cucumbers serve a useful role in the marine ecosystem as they help recycle nutrients, breaking down detritus and other organic matter, after which bacteria can continue the decomposition process.
Sea cucumbers are marine animals of the class Holothuroidea. They can be used as food, in fresh or dried form, in various cuisines. In some cultural contexts the sea cucumber is thought to have medicinal value.
The hawksbill sea turtle is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys. The species has a global distribution that is largely limited to tropical and subtropical marine and estuary ecosystems.
The barred thicklip wrasse is a species of fish belonging to the wrasse family, native from the Indo-Pacific.
Stichopus chloronotus is a species of sea cucumber. Common names include the greenfish sea cucumber, the spiky sea cucumber and the black knobby sea cucumber. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. It has a wide range and is abundant and the IUCN lists it as being of "Least Concern".
Panulirus penicillatus is a species of spiny lobster that lives on shallow rocky and coral reefs in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Common names for this spiny lobster include variegated crayfish, tufted spiny lobster, spiny lobster, Socorro spiny lobster, red lobster, pronghorn spiny lobster, golden rock lobster, double spined rock lobster and coral cray. It has a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
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.
Holothuria fuscopunctata, the elephant trunkfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae native to shallow water in the tropical Indo-Pacific. It is placed in the subgenus Microthele, making its full name Holothuria (Microthele) fuscopunctata.
Stichopus herrmanni, or Herrmann's sea cucumber, is a species of holothuroidean echinoderm in the family Stichopodidae. It is found in the tropical, western Indo-Pacific Ocean, at depths down to 20 m (66 ft). This and several other species are known as curryfish and are harvested commercially; it is called gama in Indonesia.
Actinopyga caerulea, the blue sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. Named for its unique blue coloration, this species can be found along the continental shelf of the tropical Western Indo-Pacific region, at depths between 12 and 45 m. It is a commercially important species, and is harvested for food along its range.
Labidodemas rugosum is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific region.
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 lecanora, commonly known as the white-bottomed sea cucumber or stonefish, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is native to the tropical Western 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.
The Dr. K.K. Mohammed Koya Sea Cucumber Conservation Reserve is a marine protected area located off the coast of the Indian union territory of Lakshadweep, approximately 50 km (31 mi) northwest of the island of Bitra. Formally established by Indian authorities on February 27th, 2020, the reserve covers 239 km2 (92 sq mi) of the Arabian Sea, including parts of the Byramgore (Cheriyapani) Reef, and is the world's first conservation area specifically dedicated to the protection of sea cucumbers.
Holothuria (Microthele) fuscogilva, also known as the white teatfish or white teeth, is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria, subgenus Microthele. The cucumber is found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific ocean. The species is vulnerable to over-exploitation from commercial fishing. It was first formally named by Gustave Cherbonnier in 1980.
Actinopyga varians, the Pacific white-spotted sea cucumber or Hawaiian sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is found in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii and also in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
Pleurosicya mossambica, also known as the toothy goby or the Mozambique ghost goby, is a species of goby native to the tropical coastal waters and coral reefs of the Red Sea and western Indo-Pacific. Like many other gobies, it forms commensal relationships with several species of marine invertebrates, including soft corals and sponges.
Actinopyga palauensis, the Panning's blackfish, is a species of sea cucumber within the family Holothuriidae. The species distribution is in the western Pacific near areas such as Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Niue, eastern Australia, and New Caledonia. It lives in reef environments at depths up to 30 meters, often being found crawling on sandy reef slopes, course sand with reef rubble, semi-sheltered bay reefs, and is occasionally found in lagoons and inshore reefs.
