Thelenota anax

Last updated

Thelenota anax
Sea Cucumber (Thelenota anax) (8499582873).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Synallactida
Family: Stichopodidae
Genus: Thelenota
Species:
T. anax
Binomial name
Thelenota anax
Clark, 1921 [1] [2]

Thelenota anax is a species of sea cucumber mostly found in the tropical, South Pacific Ocean. It is also commonly known as the amber fish. [3] Some other names for T. anax are black teatfish, blackfish, brownfish, chief sea cucumber, curryfish, elephant trunk cucumber, lollyfish, tripang, and white-teat sea cucumber. [4] T. anax is found on sandy ocean bottoms and often have ectocommensal relationships. They are commonly fished commercially and exported because of their medicinal properties and large size.

Contents

Description

The body of T. anax can be a creamy beige or light brown with dark brown or red spots. It usually has light colored bumps on the top of its body. T. anax also has large with papillae located laterally on its body. On its ventral surface there is long white podia. Its mouth is also located ventrally with 18-20 peltate tentacles. The anus is located on the dorsal side of the animal towards the terminal end. Their average length is about 69 cm long, but the longest recorded sea cucumber was 89 cm long. [5] Some of the biggest sea cucumber can weigh up to 5 kg. [6] It also has two gonads that are approximately 70-500mm long. [7]

Theleonota anax Thelenota anax.jpg
Theleonota anax
Thelenota anax in Maldives Thelenota anax geante.JPG
Thelenota anax in Maldives

Habitat

Thelenota anax prefers to live on soft, sandy portions of the ocean floor at depths greater than 25 m. [8] Some can be found on the sides of reef slopes. [5]

Ectocommensals

Some organism can often be found living on the outside of Thelenota anax. A few common species found on T.anax are scaleworms and gastropods. [9] The sea cucumber does not appear to be negatively affected by these ectocommensal species.

Commercial value

Many species of sea cucumbers are sold for human consumption as "beche-de-mer". In the Solomon Islands, where Thelenota anax is commonly harvested, it has a commercial value of around $6.66 per kg . [10] It is one of the less expensive species of sea cucumbers, but is one of the more commonly exported species because of its high body mass. [11]

Medicinal properties

T. anax is commonly consumed in Asian and Middle Eastern countries for its purported medicinal benefits, although research into its effects are ongoing. T. anax produces many different bioactive compounds such as arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. These compounds are known to reduce the risk of coronary disease, some cancers, and have anti-inflammatory properties [3] Specifically arachidonic acid promotes blood clotting and wound healing. [12] This is why many Asian countries use T.anax to treat burns and cuts. [3]

Studies have also shown that T. anax produces glycosides Stichopside C (STC) and Stichoposide D (STD). [13] STC makes Ceramide, which is a tumor suppressor lipid. It also causes the apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells and leukemia cells. STD causes the apoptosis of only leukemia cells and inhibits its growth. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anandamide</span> Chemical compound (fatty acid neurotransmitter)

Anandamide (ANA), also known as N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA), is a fatty acid neurotransmitter. Anandamide was the first endocannabinoid to be discovered: it participates in the body's endocannabinoid system by binding to cannabinoid receptors, the same receptors that the psychoactive compound THC in cannabis acts on. Anandamide is found in nearly all tissues in a wide range of animals. Anandamide has also been found in plants, including small amounts in chocolate. The name 'anandamide' is taken from the Sanskrit word ananda, which means "joy, bliss, delight", plus amide.

<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. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of holothurian species worldwide is about 1,717, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sphingolipid</span> Family of chemical compounds

Sphingolipids are a class of lipids containing a backbone of sphingoid bases, a set of aliphatic amino alcohols that includes sphingosine. They were discovered in brain extracts in the 1870s and were named after the mythological sphinx because of their enigmatic nature. These compounds play important roles in signal transduction and cell recognition. Sphingolipidoses, or disorders of sphingolipid metabolism, have particular impact on neural tissue. A sphingolipid with an R group consisting of a hydrogen atom only is a ceramide. Other common R groups include phosphocholine, yielding a sphingomyelin, and various sugar monomers or dimers, yielding cerebrosides and globosides, respectively. Cerebrosides and globosides are collectively known as glycosphingolipids.

Fucoidan is a long chain sulfated polysaccharide found in various species of brown algae. Commercially available fucoidan is commonly extracted from the seaweed species Fucus vesiculosus, Cladosiphon okamuranus, Laminaria japonica and Undaria pinnatifida. Variant forms of fucoidan have also been found in animal species, including the sea cucumber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lipid signaling</span> Biological signaling using lipid molecules

Lipid signaling, broadly defined, refers to any biological signaling event involving a lipid messenger that binds a protein target, such as a receptor, kinase or phosphatase, which in turn mediate the effects of these lipids on specific cellular responses. Lipid signaling is thought to be qualitatively different from other classical signaling paradigms because lipids can freely diffuse through membranes. One consequence of this is that lipid messengers cannot be stored in vesicles prior to release and so are often biosynthesized "on demand" at their intended site of action. As such, many lipid signaling molecules cannot circulate freely in solution but, rather, exist bound to special carrier proteins in serum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sea cucumbers as food</span> Used in fresh or dried form in various cuisines

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>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 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.

<i>Bohadschia marmorata</i> Species of sea cucumber

Bohadschia marmorata, commonly known as the brown sandfish or chalky cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae. It lives on the seabed in shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific region.

<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.

Chantal Conand is a French marine biologist.

<i>Thelenota rubralineata</i> Species of sea cucumber

Thelenota rubralineata is a species of sea cucumber in the family Stichopodidae, in the phylum Echinodermata, mainly located in the central Indo-Pacific region. It has a distinctive coloring pattern, and can be found on the seabed near coral. T. rubralineata is part of the Thelenota genus, characterized by their large size and the presence of a calcareous ring.

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

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.

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

Actinopyga lecanora, commonly known as the white-bottomed 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>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.

References

  1. ↑ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Thelenota anax Clark, 1921". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  2. ↑ Clark, H.L. (1921). The echinoderm fauna of Torres Strait: its composition and its origin. Department of Marine Biology of the Carnegie Institute.
  3. 1 2 3 Bordbar S, Anwar F, Saari N (2011-10-10). "High-value components and bioactives from sea cucumbers for functional foods--a review". Marine Drugs. 9 (10): 1761–805. doi: 10.3390/md9101761 . PMC   3210605 . PMID   22072996.
  4. ↑ "The Royal Sea Cucumber - Whats That Fish!". www.whatsthatfish.com. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
  5. 1 2 Purcell SW, Samyn Y, Conand C (2012). Commercially Important Sea Cucumbers of the World. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes No. 6. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN   978-92-5-106719-2.
  6. ↑ Kerr AM, Netchy K, Gawel AM (30 June 2006). Survey of the shallow-water sea cucumbers of the central Philippines (Report). University Of Guam Marine Laboratory. A Report to the Municipalities of Negros Oriental, Cebu and Bohol, local Bantay Dagat groups, Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc., and Silliman University-Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management.
  7. ↑ Lamberson JO (June 1978). "Marshall Islands 96737". Mid-Pacific Marine Laboratory Enewetak. 14.
  8. ↑ Zulfigar Y, Sim YK, Aileen Tan SH (2007). "The Distribution of Sea Cucumbers in Pulau Aur, Johore, Malaysia". Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory. 8: 73–86. doi: 10.5134/70908 . ISSN   0389-6609.
  9. ↑ Purcell SW, Hammond A, Meyers L (March 2020). "Ectocommensals of the stichopodid sea cucumbers Thelenota anaxand Stichopus vastuson the northern Great Barrier Reef" (PDF). SPC Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin. 40.
  10. ↑ Buckius C, Albert S, Tibbetts I, Udy J (May 2010). "Effect of diel activity patterns and harvesting pressure on the diversity and biomass of sea cucumbers in Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands". Environmental Management. 45 (5): 963–73. Bibcode:2010EnMan..45..963B. doi:10.1007/s00267-010-9469-3. PMID   20349313. S2CID   206942365.
  11. ↑ Purcell SW (2014). "Value, market preferences and trade of Beche-de-mer from Pacific Island sea cucumbers". PLOS ONE. 9 (4): e95075. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...995075P. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095075 . PMC   3988149 . PMID   24736374.
  12. ↑ Wen J, Zeng L (November 2014). "Use of species-specific PCR for the identification of 10 sea cucumber species". Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology. 32 (6): 1257–63. Bibcode:2014ChJOL..32.1257W. doi:10.1007/s00343-015-4050-9. S2CID   86011336.
  13. ↑ Mondol MA, Shin HJ, Rahman MA, Islam MT (October 2017). "Sea Cucumber Glycosides: Chemical Structures, Producing Species and Important Biological Properties". Marine Drugs. 15 (10): 317. doi: 10.3390/md15100317 . PMC   5666425 . PMID   29039760.
  14. ↑ Yun SH, Shin SW, Stonik VA, Park JI (November 2016). "Ceramide as a Target of Marine Triterpene Glycosides for Treatment of Human Myeloid Leukemia". Marine Drugs. 14 (11): 205. doi: 10.3390/md14110205 . PMC   5128748 . PMID   27827870.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.