Holothuria fuscogilva

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Holothuria fuscogilva
Pepino de mar (Holothuria fuscogilva), parque nacional Ras Muhammad, Egipto, 2022-03-28, DD 119.jpg
H. fuscogilva in the Red Sea.
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Holothuriida
Family: Holothuriidae
Genus: Holothuria
Species:
H. fuscogilva
Binomial name
Holothuria fuscogilva
Cherbonnier, 1980

Holothuria (Microthele) fuscogilva, also known as the white teatfish or white teeth, is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria , subgenus Microthele. [3] The cucumber is found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific ocean. The species is vulnerable to over-exploitation from commercial fishing. It was first formally named by Gustave Cherbonnier in 1980. [4]

Contents

Distribution and habitat

Holothuria fuscogilva are found in the Indo-Pacific ocean in shallow waters near islands and around coral reefs. Juvenile cucumbers live in shallower waters (such as inter-tidal zones) and then migrate to deeper waters as they mature. [4] Spawning occurs during the Northeastern Monsoon season (October to December), and the species reaches sexually maturity relatively late. [4]

Description

Adult cucumbers weigh between 2.4 and 4 kilograms. [4] They are oval in shape and have a firm texture. This species cucumber has lateral papillae (teats) which are often buried in the sand. [4]

Use

Holothuria fuscogilva is consumed as a food and is of large commercial value across its range. The cucumber can be collected by hand using a diving suit or while skin diving, allowing for it to be easily harvested.

Vulnerability and conservation

Due to overfishing, the cucumber was listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List in 2010. [1]

A large population of the cucumber formerly existed in Sri Lanka, but decades of overfishing and mismanagement caused a large decline in the species' numbers. Sri Lanka banned the harvesting of the species in 2019. [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Holothuria</i> Genus of echinoderms

Holothuria is the type genus of the marine animal family Holothuriidae, part of the class Holothuroidea, commonly known as sea cucumbers. Members of the genus are found in coastal waters in tropical and temperate regions. They are soft bodied, limbless invertebrates that dwell on the ocean floor and are usually detritivore. They resemble a cucumber in form. The genus contains some species that are harvested and sold as food.

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<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 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.

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>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.

<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.

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

Holothuria fuscopunctata, the elephant trunkfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Holothuriidae native to shallow water in the tropical Indo-Pacific. It is placed in the subgenus Microthele, making its full name Holothuria (Microthele) fuscopunctata.

<i>Stichopus herrmanni</i> Species of sea cucumber

Stichopus herrmanni, or Herrmann's sea cucumber, is a species of holothuroidean echinoderm in the family Stichopodidae. It is found in the tropical, western Indo-Pacific Ocean, at depths down to 20 m (66 ft). This and several other species are known as curryfish and are harvested commercially; it is called gama in Indonesia.

<i>Billfish in the Indian Ocean</i>

Of the twelve species of billfish, there are six species of Billfish in the Indian Ocean.

<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 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.

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 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>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 Hawai'i and also in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.

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

References

  1. 1 2 Conand, C., Purcell, S. & Gamboa, R. 2013. Holothuria fuscogilva. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T200715A2681354. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T200715A2681354.en. Downloaded on 11 August 2020.
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. "Holothuria (Microthele) fuscogilva Cherbonnier, 1980". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Holothuria fuscogilva, white teeth : fisheries". www.sealifebase.ca. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  5. "Sri Lanka pushes for protection of sea cucumbers amid overexploitation". Mongabay Environmental News. 2019-08-10. Retrieved 2020-08-09.