Holothuria hilla

Holothuria hilla
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Holothuroidea
Order:	Holothuriida
Family:	Holothuriidae
Genus:	Holothuria
Subgenus:	Mertensiothuria
Species:	H. hilla
Binomial name
	Holothuria hilla; Lesson, 1830
Synonyms
	Holothuria decorata von Marenzeller, 1882; Holothuria fasciola Quoy & Gaimard, 1834; Holothuria fuscopunctata Quoy & Gaimard, 1834; Holothuria macleari Bell, 1884; Holothuria patagonica Perrier R., 1904; Labidodemas leucopus Haacke, 1880; Labidodemas neglectum Haacke, 1880; Stichopus gyrifer Selenka, 1867;

Last updated October 18, 2024

Holothuria hilla is a species of sea cucumber in the subgenus Mertensiothuria of the genus Holothuria .^[1] Some common names include the contractile sea cucumber, the sand sifting sea cucumber and the tigertail sea cucumber, and in Hawaii it is known as the light spotted sea cucumber. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region and the Red Sea.^[2]

Description

Holothuria hilla is a cylindrical sea cucumber, tapering slightly at the posterior end. It can grow to a length of about 40 cm (16 in) and a diameter of 5 cm (2 in). The integument is thin, soft and wrinkled. The dorsal surface is covered with longitudinal rows of tube feet modified into thorn-like conical papillae with broad bases, sometimes joined in pairs. These are creamy-white, in contrast to the pinkish, golden or brown background colour of the skin. The ventral surface is similar in colour but the papillae are ranged in four or five rows and are longer and yellowish. The mouth is on the underside and is surrounded by a ring of twenty, yellowish peltate tentacles. This species has Cuvierian tubules but does not expel them defensively as do some other species.^[2]

Distribution and habitat

This species is found in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and the tropical west and central Indo-Pacific oceans, as far east as Hawaii, and even Panama. It is mainly found at less than 30 m (100 ft), but occasionally as deep as 200 m (660 ft), on sandy, rocky and coral substrates, in lagoons, seagrass meadows and flat areas.^[2]

Ecology

Holothuria hilla is a detritivore, raking sand into its mouth with its oral tentacles, extracting and digesting the bacteria, animal and vegetal particles, and voiding the sand through its anus. In this way it churns up significant areas of the seabed.^[2]

Reproduction is either sexual, when the male and female liberate their gametes into the water column, or asexual, by fission. Sexual reproduction mostly occurs at hotter times of year and asexual reproduction when it is cooler. In Réunion, where the species is rare, fission is the only breeding method that has been observed. The animal stops feeding and conceals itself while splitting; the missing parts regenerate and are often paler in colour than the original parts.^[2]

Related Research Articles

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Holothuria atra, commonly known as the black sea cucumber or lollyfish, is a species of marine invertebrate in the family Holothuriidae. It was placed in the subgenus Halodeima by Pearson in 1914, making its full scientific name Holothuria (Halodeima) atra. It is the type species of the subgenus.

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".

Holothuria forskali, the black sea cucumber or cotton-spinner is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is found at shallow depths in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It was placed in the subgenus Panningothuria by Rowe in 1969 and is the type taxon of the subgenus.

Holothuria scabra, or sandfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It was placed in the subgenus Metriatyla by Rowe in 1969 and is the type species of the subgenus. Sandfish are harvested and processed into "beche-de-mer" and eaten in China and other Pacific coastal communities.

Holothuria thomasi, the tiger's tail, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. Although it is the largest sea cucumber known in the western Atlantic Ocean, it is so well camouflaged that it was 1980 before it was first described. It is placed in the subgenus Thymiosycia making its full name Holothuria (Thymiosycia) thomasi.

<i>Colochirus quadrangularis</i> Species of sea cucumber

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Colochirus robustus, commonly known as the robust sea cucumber or the yellow sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Cucumariidae. It is found in shallow seas in tropical parts of the central Indo-Pacific region. C. robustus belongs to the class Holothuroidea, a group of echinoderms called sea cucumbers and known for unusual behavior including evisceration, asexual reproduction, and regeneration. The robust sea cucumber has a soft body and lacks a spine, but it does have an endoskeleton consisting of microscopic spicules, or ossicles, made of calcium carbonate. C. robustus has a respiratory tree that allows it to extract oxygen for respiration, using the anus to pump water. The robust sea cucumber is an important dietary staple for many East and Southeast Asian populations, and has been used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. Recent research suggests that peptides from C. robustus enhance the activity of the immune system.

Holothuria floridana, the Florida sea cucumber, is a species of marine invertebrate in the family Holothuriidae. It is found on the seabed just below the low tide mark in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

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Synapta maculata, the snake sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Synaptidae. It is found in shallow waters in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean. Sometimes growing as long as 3 m (10 ft), it is one of the longest sea cucumbers in the world.

Holothuria fuscocinerea, the ashy pink sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is placed in the subgenus Stauropora, making its full name Holothuria (Stauropora) fuscocinerea. It is native to shallow water in the tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific.

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.

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.

Holothuriaflavomaculata, also known as the red snakefish, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae found in the Indo-Pacific.

Holothuria (Platyperona) difficilis is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. Holothuria comes from Latin but is originally taken from Greek. Its meaning is a plantlike animal whose origin is uncertain.

Holothuria pervicax is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria. It is commonly called the stubborn sea cucumber due to its inability to be kept alive in captivity. It is commonly found buried beneath rocks on reefs in warm waters.

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Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens, commonly known as the impatient sea cucumber or bottleneck sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria, subgenus Thymiosycia.

References

1 2 3 "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla Lesson, 1830". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
1 2 3 4 5 Bourjon, Philippe; Mulochae, Thierry; Sittler, Alain-Pierre (1 July 2018). "Phenacovolva rosea (A. Adams, 1854)" (in French). DORIS. Retrieved 15 August 2020.

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[WoRMS-1] 1 2 3 "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) hilla Lesson, 1830". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 15 August 2020.

[Doris-2] 1 2 3 4 5 Bourjon, Philippe; Mulochae, Thierry; Sittler, Alain-Pierre (1 July 2018). "Phenacovolva rosea (A. Adams, 1854)" (in French). DORIS. Retrieved 15 August 2020.

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