Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | CoL | ITIS | WoRMS

Holothuroidea | Synallactida | Stichopodidae

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Reef-associated; depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 800). Tropical; 31°N - 25°S, 31°E - 134°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Indo-Pacific excluding Hawaii.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ?, range 30 - ? cm Max length : 80.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 122); common length : 45.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 122); max. published weight: 7.0 kg (Ref. 122)

Short description Morphology

Mean live weight: 2500-7000 g. Body-wall thickness: 0.15 cm. Body firm, rigid, flattened ventrally (trivium). Bivium entirely covered with characteristic, large, leaf-shaped, lobate papillae. Trivium with brown to pink podia, more numerous on the radii, their disc about 0.04 cm in diameter, Mouth ventral, surrounded by a circle of conical papillae which are larger on dorsal side, and 20 large, brown tentacles. Anus terminal. Calcareous ring with large radial pieces and narrow interradials. Cuvierian tubules absent. Color variable on bivium, reddish orange to brown; trivium generally red; mature gonads deep purple. Spicules on tegument with cross-shaped spicules, spiny branched spicules (sometimes with median pillar), perforated plates, pseudo-tables, and grains; branched spicules larger in dorsal tegument and papillae; ventral podia with branched spicules, long rods, and large, multiperforated plates; tentacles with characteristic branched spicules, in form of a "rose-window".

Populations not reaching very high densities, with a mean of around 0.003 per square meter. Harvested by hand. Collected by skin diving or using diving gear (if not banned), making the populations very vulnerable, due to overexploitation. The processed product is of major quality and the demand is still high (Ref. 122). Maximum depth from Ref. 122154.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Sexual reproduction takes places during warm season. A species with a low potential fecundity and late sexual maturity.

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Conand, C. 1998. (Ref. 122)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Endangered (EN) (A2bd); Date assessed: 18 May 2010

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Appendix II: International trade monitored

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial
FAO - Fisheries: landings | FishSource |

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Trophic Ecology

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Ecology

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Growth
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Distribution

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Human Related

Aquaculture profile
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Taxonomy

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Synonyms
Morphology
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References

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 25 - 29.3, mean 28.4 (based on 3386 cells).

Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

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