Holothuria mexicana

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Holothuria mexicana
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Status TNC G4.svg
Apparently Secure  (NatureServe) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Holothuriida
Family: Holothuriidae
Genus: Holothuria
Species:
H. mexicana
Binomial name
Holothuria mexicana
(Ludwig Diels, 1875)
Synonyms
  • Holothuria africanaThéel, 1886

Holothuria mexicana, the donkey dung sea cucumber, is commonly found in the Caribbean and the Azores. [1] It is a commercially important aspidochirote (sediment feeding) sea cucumber that can reach a total length of 50 cm (20 in).

Description

This sea cucumber is transversely wrinkled and reaches 50 cm (20 in) in total length. It has a top surface that is dull brown or grey with occasional warts. The bottom surface is reddish, orange or pale and is uniformly covered in tube feet. [3] Populations are unimodal and have a 1:1 male to female sex ratio. [4]

Distribution and habitat

This species is found throughout the Caribbean and reaches southern Brazil. [3]

It is a shallow or demersal water species most commonly found between 2 m (6 ft 7 in) to 10 m (33 ft) depth and up to 20 m (66 ft) depth. It inhabits sandy bottoms with calm waters including seagrass beds, offshore reefs or mangroves. [3] [5] [6] [7]

Diet

Holothuria mexicana feeds on sediments at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, specifically consuming organic matter such as algae, tiny aquatic organisms and waste materials. [7] Metals, such as copper, nickel, lead and zinc associated with coastal pollution, can bioaccumulate within H. mexicana tissues. Therefore, this species has been suggested as a biological indicator for these metals. [8]

Predation

Holothuria mexicana is a food source for people, and is actively caught for consumption off the shores of Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela. [6]

Natural parasites on H. mexicana are bacteria, protozoans and metazoans. The metazoans that commonly feed on these sea cucumbers are turbellarians, gastropods, copepods, crabs and fishes. [9]

Reproduction

Minimum size at sexual maturity is between 13 cm (5 in) to 20 cm (8 in) total length and 150 g (5 oz) gutted weight, though smaller sexually mature individuals have been found. [4]

Holothuria mexicana spawns throughout the year but has peak spawning periods that varies with geography, which may linked to temperature. Spawning occurs from May to July in Panama, August to September in Florida, and September to October in Curaçao. [4]

During spawning, females forcefully expel all their eggs into the water in a single burst from their gonopore (the opening where gametes are released). Both males and females sometimes wave their tentacles around during spawning which may aid in fertilization by mixing the sperm and eggs. [10] After fertilization, eggs develop into non-feeding auricular larvae develop in ~64 hours. [11]

Use as food

Sea cucumbers are harvested by snorkelling or surface-supplied diving for human consumption. Although some species are caught for local consumption, most species are exported to China where it is considered an important health food. The ease to catch sea cucumbers, high commercial value and slow recruitment rates have led to global declines in sea cucumber populations and fisheries on less commercially valuable species. [12]

There are fisheries for H. mexicana in Panama, Nicaragua and Venezuela. [6] In Panama, the species has a low economic value due to its tough and rigid texture but is fished because of decline of other commercial sea cucumbers. [7] In 1997, 25 fishers took part in a 30-day fishing period where over 750,000 sea cucumbers of three species (H. mexicana, Isostichopus badionotus , Astichopus multifidus ) were caught. [7] Sea cucumber fishing is now banned in Panama but illegal fishing has been reported. Holothuria mexicana have small population sizes and were in high risk of collapse in the area if the same level of fishing had continued. [6]

In Venezuela, the sea cucumber fishery began in 1991-1992 but was shut down by 1995 due to poor fisheries regulation. Illegal fishing continued, however, as 500 kg of H. mexicana worth US$150,000 was confiscated in the Archipelago Los Roques National Park in 1996. [6] In 2005, China had reported that 0.5 tonnes of sea cucumber were imported from Venezuela. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea cucumber</span> Class of echinoderms

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.

<i>Isostichopus badionotus</i> Species of sea cucumber

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea cucumbers as food</span> Marine foodstuff

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.

<i>Isostichopus fuscus</i> Species of sea cucumber

Isostichopus fuscus, commonly known as the brown sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Stichopodidae native to the eastern Pacific. It was first described to science by German biologist Hubert Ludwig in 1875.

<i>Holothuria atra</i> Species of sea cucumber

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.

<i>Australostichopus</i> Genus of sea cucumbers

Australostichopus is a genus of sea cucumbers in the family Stichopodidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species Australostichopus mollis, commonly known as the brown sea cucumber or Australasian sea cucumber. This species has stimulated interest for its fishery potential in the Southern Hemisphere, and for its capability to reduce waste produced by aquaculture. Despite its ecological role and abundance in New Zealand coastal waters, the scarcity of knowledge regarding A. mollis biology and ecology has hindered the development of a stable fishery industry. Importantly, A. mollis represents promising business potential within an important Asian market. Recently its potential as a functional food has been evaluated, highlighting the nutritious components

<i>Holothuria scabra</i> Species of sea cucumber

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aquaculture of sea cucumbers</span>

Sea cucumber stocks have been overexploited in the wild, resulting in incentives to grow them by aquaculture. Aquaculture means the sea cucumbers are farmed in contained areas where they can be cultured in a controlled manner. In China, sea cucumbers are cultured, along with prawns and some fish species, in integrated multi-trophic systems. In these systems, the sea cucumbers feed on the waste and feces from the other species. In this manner, what would otherwise be polluting byproducts from the culture of the other species become a valuable resource that is turned into a marketable product.

<i>Holothuria tubulosa</i> Species of sea cucumber

Holothuria tubulosa, the cotton-spinner or tubular sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is the type species of the genus Holothuria and is placed in the subgenus Holothuria, making its full name Holothuria (Holothuria) tubulosa.

Holothuria spinifera, the brown sandfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It is placed in the subgenus Theelothuria, making its full name Holothuria (Theelothuria) spinifera. In India it is known as cheena attai or raja attai. It lives in tropical regions of the west Indo-Pacific Ocean at depths ranging from 32 to 60 metres. It is fished commercially to produce beche-de-mer.

<i>Stichopus</i> Genus of sea cucumbers

Stichopus is a genus of sea cucumbers from the family Stichopodidae.

Chantal Conand is a French marine biologist and oceanographer.

<i>Actinopyga lecanora</i> Species of sea cucumber

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.

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.

<i>Holothuria arguinensis</i> Species of sea cucumber

Holothuria arguinensis is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae and subgenus Roweothuria. It is found in waters off the northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. According to some scholarly research, the species is actively expanding its range and colonizing the south-eastern coast of Spain.

<i>Holothuria nobilis</i> Species of sea cucumber

Holothuria (Microthele) nobilis, the black teatfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria. The cucumber is found in the tropical waters of the Indo-pacific ocean. It was first described by Emil Selenka in 1867.

Holothuria lessoni, the golden sandfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria, subgenus Metriatyla. This sea cucumber inhabits the shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, where it is found near islands and reef flats. It is highly sought after in commercial and subsistence fishing and the species threatened by overfishing.

<i>Holothuria difficilis</i> Species of sea cucumber

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 (Cystipus) cubana is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. This species was first described by Ludwig in 1875.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 Toral-Granda, T.-G.; Alvarado, J.J.; Benavides, M.; Paola Ortiz, E.; Mercier, A. & Hamel, J.-F. (2010). "Holothuria mexicana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "Holothuria mexicana". NatureServe Explorer. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Collin, R., M.C. Díaz, J. Norenburg, R.M. Rocha, J.A. Sánchez, A. Schulze. M. Schwartz and A. Valdés. 2005. Photographic identification guide to some common marine invertebrates of Bocas Del Toro, Panama. Caribbean Journal of Science. 41(3): 638-707.
  4. 1 2 3 Guzman, H.M., C.A. Guevara, I.C. Hernandez. 2003. Reproductive cycle of two commercial species of sea cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from Caribbean Panama. Marine Biology 142: 271–279.
  5. ↑ Laboy-Nieves, E.N., J.E. Conde. 2006. Nouvelle approche pour mesurer Holothuria mexicana et Isostichopus badionotus aux fins d’évaluations de stocks. SPC Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin. 24: 39-43.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Toral-Granda,V. 2008. Population status, fisheries and trade of sea cucumbers in Latin America and the Caribbean. In V. Toral-Granda, A. Lovatelli and M. Vasconcellos (eds). Sea cucumbers. A global review of fisheries and trade. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper. No. 516. Rome, FAO. 2008. pp. 213–229.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Guzman, H.M., C.A. Guevara. 2002. Population structure, distribution and abundance of three commercial species of sea cucumber (Echinodermata) in Panama. Caribbean Journal of Science, 38: 230–238.
  8. ↑ Laboy-Nieves, E.N., J.E., Conde. 2001. Metal levels in eviscerated tissue of shallow-water deposit-feeding holothurians. Hydrobiologia, 459: 19–26.
  9. ↑ Eeckhaut, I., Parmentier, E., Becker, P., Gomez da Silva, S., & Jangoux, M. 2004. Parasites and biotic diseases in field and cultivated sea cucumbers. In Lovatelli, A., Conand, C., Purcell, S., Uthicke, S., Hamel, J.-F., Mercier, A. (eds). Advances in sea cucumber aquaculture and management. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper. No. 463. Rome, FAO. 2004. pp. 311-325.
  10. ↑ Mosher, C. 1982. Spawning behavior of the aspidochirote holothurian Holothuria rnexicana Ludwig. In: Lawrence, L M. (ed.). Echinoderms: Proceedings of the International Conference, Tampa Bay. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, p. 467-468.
  11. ↑ Thurston, C.L., J.E. West. 2000. The auricularia-to-doliolaria transformation in two aspidochirote holothurians, Holothuria mexicana and Stichopus californicus. Invertebrate Biology. 119 (4): 421-432.
  12. ↑ Conand, C., S. Uthicke. 2005. Local examples of beche-de-mer overfishing: An initial summary and request for information. SPC Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin. 21: 9-14.
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