Holothuria stellati

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Holothuria stellati
Holothuria stellati.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Holothuriida
Family: Holothuriidae
Genus: Holothuria
Species:
H. stellati
Binomial name
Holothuria stellati
Synonyms
  • Sporadipus glaberGrube, 1840

Holothuria stellati, also known as the Brown sea cucumber [2] ,is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. First described by Delle Chiaje in 1824. [3] There are two accepted subspecies, Holothuria stellatidakarensis and Holothuria stellati mammata, though there is still debate on whether or not they are separate species. [4]

Description

Holothuria stellati grows up to 12.9 cm, rarely reaching 20 cm. [2] Their body is a light to dark brown color with a few darker spots, and cylindrical in shape. Their bodies are hard on the outside, due to their calcareous endoskeleton. [3] Their dorsal side forms a round bivium, with 2 rows of large, pointed papillae, and their ventral side forms a flat trivium, with 3 rows of podia with ossicles. [5] They use these podia for locomotion as well as feeding, by pushing sand into their mouths (11). Holothuria stellati has smaller ossicles than other species within its genus, with the tables ranging from 31 to 52 µm in diameter, spires from 21 to 42 µm tall, and buttons 31 to 42 µm long. [6] The mouth and anus are located on opposite terminal ends of the body.

Distribution

H. stellati lives on both soft and rocky sandy substrates in tropical climates. [2] [7] They reside exclusively in the neritic zones of the benthos of the Mediterranean Sea and Adriatic Sea, near Western Italy, Monaco, Tunisia, Turkey, and Algeria (2). There have been reports of H. stellati appearing in the Canary Islands and Croatia, but it has yet to be confirmed.

Life cycle

H. stellati are separated into male and female sexes. Like most sea cucumbers, the females release the eggs into the water to be fertilized by a nearby male. Fertilization occurs externally. Before becoming full sea cucumbers, H. stellati goes through 2 larval stages. The first stage is auricularia, in which H. stellati is a planktonic larva. In the second stage, they become barrel shaped, transforming into doliolaria. [2] Though several species of sea cucumbers are known to be able to fissure and reproduce asexually, there has been no documented research showing H. stellati has the ability to do so. [8]

Diet

Not much is known about the exact diet of H. Stellati. They are found to be omnivores, [9] feeding on plankton, algae, and nearby floating detritus. Like other species of sea cucumbers, they perform both suspension feeding and deposit feeding, sifting large amounts of sediment or water through their mouths and secreting out of their anus. [10]

Parasites

H. stellati are hosts and prey to multiple species of copepod parasites, including Alantogynous dellamarei, Calpysina changeuxi, and Tisbe holothuriae. [3]

Conservation

H. stellati is a not very well studied species, with very limited information on its population and distribution. However, it is an increasing target of fisheries, more specifically in Algeria and Turkey. [5] Additionally, in a study done in 2009 by Graham and Thompson, it was found that sea cucumbers selectively ingest fragments of plastic they come across in the sediment, which may be dangerous to these benthic organisms. [10] These issues make conservation efforts and more studies all the more important, as they may be overfished or having their habitats harmed.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echinoderm</span> Exclusively marine phylum of animals with generally 5-point radial symmetry

An echinoderm is any deuterostomal animal of the phylum Echinodermata, which includes starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers, as well as the sessile sea lilies or "stone lilies". While bilaterally symmetrical as larvae, as adults echinoderms are recognisable by their usually five-pointed radial symmetry, and are found on the sea bed at every ocean depth from the intertidal zone to the abyssal zone. The phylum contains about 7,000 living species, making it the second-largest group of deuterostomes after the chordates, as well as the largest marine-only phylum. The first definitive echinoderms appeared near the start of the Cambrian.

<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>Cucumaria miniata</i> Species of sea cucumber

Cucumaria miniata is a species of sea cucumber. It is commonly known as the orange sea cucumber or red sea cucumber due to its striking color. This northeast Pacific species is often found wedged in between rocks or crevices at the coast or on docks and can generally be identified by its orange bushy tentacles protruding above the substrate.

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

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

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

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 typetaxon of the subgenus.

<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.

<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.

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

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 robustus</i> Species of echinoderm

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.

<i>Holothuria parvula</i> Species of 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.

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

Holothuria leucospilota, commonly known as the black sea cucumber or black tarzan, is a species of marine invertebrate in the family Holothuriidae. It is placed in the subgenus Mertensiothuria making its full scientific name Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) leucospilota. It is the type species of the subgenus and is found on the seabed in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific.

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

Holothuria edulis, commonly known as the edible sea cucumber or the pink and black sea cucumber, is a species of echinoderm in the family Holothuriidae. It was placed in the subgenus Halodeima by Pearson in 1914, making its full scientific name Holothuria (Halodeima) edulis. It is found in shallow water in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean.

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

Chiridotidae is a family of sea cucumbers found in the order Apodida. Within the family, there are 16 recognized genera all with different ranges of body types and functions. Sea cucumbers play a fundamental role in many marine ecosystems.

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

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.

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

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.

<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.

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

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.

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

References

  1. ↑ Mercier, A.; Hamel, J.-F. (2013). "Holothuria stellati". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T180289A1611321. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T180289A1611321.en . Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Holothuria stellati". www.sealifebase.ca. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  3. 1 2 3 "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Holothuria (Holothuria) stellati Delle Chiaje, 1824". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  4. ↑ GIOMAR HELENA BORRERO-PÉREZ, ANGEL PÉREZ-RUZAFA, CONCEPCIÓN MARCOS, MERCEDES GONZÁLEZ-WANGÜEMERT, The taxonomic status of some Atlanto-Mediterranean species in the subgenus Holothuria (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriidae) based on molecular evidence, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 157, Issue 1, September 2009, Pages 51–69, doi : 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00529.x
  5. 1 2 Mezali, Karim (January 2011). "Some insights on the phylogeny of Algerian shallow-water sea cucumber species (Holothuroidea: Aspidochirotida)". SPC Beche de Mer Information. 31.
  6. ↑ Thandar, Ahmed S.; Mjobo, Sifiso (2014-12-22). "On some sea cucumbers from Ghana (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) with descriptions of a new genus and one new species". Zootaxa. 3900 (2): 243–254. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3900.2.4 . ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   25543735.
  7. ↑ IUCN (2010-05-20). "Holothuria stellati: Mercier, A. & Hamel, J.-F.: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T180289A1611321". doi: 10.2305/iucn.uk.2013-1.rlts.t180289a1611321.en .{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ↑ Dolmatov, Igor Yu. (2014). "Asexual Reproduction in Holothurians". The Scientific World Journal. 2014: 527234. doi: 10.1155/2014/527234 . ISSN   2356-6140. PMC   4227402 . PMID   25405228.
  9. ↑ "brown sea cucumber - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  10. 1 2 Graham, Erin R.; Thompson, Joseph T. (2009-01-15). "Deposit- and suspension-feeding sea cucumbers (Echinodermata) ingest plastic fragments". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 368 (1): 22–29. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2008.09.007. ISSN   0022-0981.
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