Lissothuria nutriens

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Lissothuria nutriens
Scarlet Dwarf Sea Cucumber (Lissothuria nutriens) 2.jpg
Dwarf sea cucumber clinging to a rock at the bottom of a tide pool
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Dendrochirotida
Family: Psolidae
Genus: Lissothuria
Species:
L. nutriens
Binomial name
Lissothuria nutriens
Brandt, 1835

Lissothuria nutriens, commonly known as the dwarf sea cucumber or scarlet sea cucumber, is a bright red-orange sea cucumber that can be found in tide pools [1] along much of the California coast. [2]

Contents

Description

The dorsal surface is bright red-orange with small white tube feet evenly spread about. The lower surface or foot is pinkish and has rows of white tube feet. [1] :947 It grows to about 2 cm. [3] Surrounding its mouth, it has 2 small and 8 large pinkish red dendritic tentacles. [1] :942,946–947 The flesh surrounding its mouth contains a few plates. [1] :947

Range

Lissothuria nutriens can be found from Monterey Bay to Southern California, [1] :946–947 and have been found as far north as Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands. [4]

Habitat

Lissothuria nutriens can be found clinging to or moving across a rocky substrate or in sandy areas between alga holdfasts from the low intertidal to 20 meters deep. [1] :946–947 Based on the observations on iNaturalist it can also be found on various kinds of alga. [5]

Diet

Lissothuria nutriens extends its sticky, dendritic tentacles [6] to catch plankton. [3] The tentacles then move the captured prey down its branches toward its base and into its mouth. [6] It absorbs additional nutrients that it extracts from mud. [3]

Reproduction

Lissothuria nutriens broods a small number of large eggs by moving them to pits on its dorsal surface. [1] :947 As a member of the order Dendrochirotida, the eggs have sufficient energy to enable the larvae to complete their development without needing to be fed. [6]

Related Research Articles

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

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<i>Colochirus robustus</i> Species of echinoderm

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<i>Synapta maculata</i> Species of sea cucumber

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.

Psolus chitonoides, also known as the slipper sea cucumber, armoured sea cucumber, creeping armoured sea cucumber, or creeping pedal sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Psolidae. It is found in shallow water on the western coast of North America. The scientific name "chitonoides" means resembling a chiton.

<i>Eupentacta quinquesemita</i> Species of sea cucumber

Eupentacta quinquesemita is a species of sea cucumber, a marine invertebrate with an elongated body, a leathery skin and tentacles surrounding the mouth. It is commonly known as the stiff-footed sea cucumber or white sea cucumber, and occurs on rocky coasts in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.

<i>Edwardsia neozelanica</i> Species of sea anemone

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

Actinopyga caerulea, the blue sea cucumber, 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.

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

Cucumaria vegae, also known as tiny black sea cucumber or northern tar spot, is a species of sea cucumber. It was first described to science by Johan Hjalmar Théel in 1886 reporting on the sea cucumber specimens brought back by the Challenger expedition. Among these was the type specimen for this species, which was collected at Bering Island.

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 hilla</i> Species of sea cucumber

Holothuria hilla is a species of sea cucumber in the subgenus Mertensiothuria of the genus Holothuria. 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.

<i>Thyone roscovita</i> Species of echinoderm (sea cucumber)

Thyone roscovita is a species of sea cucumber in the family Phyllophoridae. It is found on gravel, sand and mud substrates in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea at depths down to about 40 m (130 ft). It is a suspension feeder and catches food particles floating past with its branched feeding tentacles.

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

Holothuria (Roweothuria) poli, also known as the white spot cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuridae and the subgenus Roweothuria. The species was first described by the Italian doctor and naturalist Stefano delle Chiaje in 1824. The species' range has been documented as being in the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and the Bay of Biscay.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Abbott, Donald P; et al. (2007). The Light and Smith Manual [of] Intertidal Invertebrates from Central California to Oregon (4th ed.). Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press.
  2. Miller, Allison K.; Kerr, Alexander M.; Paulay, Gustav; Reich, Mike; Wilson, Nerida G.; Carvajal, Jose I.; Rouse, Greg W. (June 2017). "Molecular phylogeny of extant Holothuroidea (Echinodermata)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 111: 110–131. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.02.014 . PMID   28263876.
  3. 1 2 3 Meerwasser-Lexikon Team (2016-12-21). "Lissothuria nutriens". ReefLex.net.
  4. Young, Alison (2021-02-10). "Dwarf Sea Cucumber". iNaturalist.
  5. "Dwarf Sea Cucumber Photo Browser". iNaturalist. 2021-02-10.
  6. 1 2 3 Cannon, L.R.G.; Sliver, H. "Order Dendrochirotida". Marine Species Identification Portal.