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

Holothuroidea | Synallactida | Stichopodidae

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

Reef-associated; depth range 4 - 30 m (Ref. 122). Tropical; 31°N - 33°S, 29°E - 134°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to French Polynesia.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 800); common length : 55.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 122); max. published weight: 6.0 kg (Ref. 122)

Short description Morphology

Mean live weight: 3500-6000 g. Body-wall thickness: 1.5 cm. Body firm, rigid, square-ish in cross-section, flattened ventrally (trivium). Bivium entirely covered with numerous characteristic, conical papillae and minute podia; bivium demarcated from the trivium by a row of large papillae. Podia numerous on trivium, with large disc, about 600 micrometer in diameter. Mouth ventral, surrounded by circle of 18 large brown tentacles. Anus terminal. Calcareous ring with large radial pieces and narrow interradials. Cuvierian tubules absent. Cloaca large. Bivium cream colored, with large beige dots; trivium generally beige; mature gonads deep purple. Spicules on tegument with branched spicules showing polygonal holes, and spicules in form of a "rose window", mostly abundant in the tentacles; tentacles also with straight, curved, or X-shaped rods; ventral podia with short, smooth rods; dorsal papillae with sparse, very long, spiny rods.

Rarely harvested until a few years ago. Collected by skin diving or using diving gear (if not banned), making the populations presently very vulnerable, due to overexploitation. The processed product is probably of low to moderate commercial value and the exploitation of this species should be avoided. Minimum depth range from Ref. 125194.

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

Members of the class Holothuroidea are gonochoric and have only one gonad. Spawning and fertilization are both external and some exhibit brooding. Life cycle: Embryos develop into planktotrophic larvae (auricularia) then into doliolaria (barrel-shaped stage) which later metamorphose into juvenile sea cucumbers.

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Conand, C. 1998. (Ref. 122)

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

Data deficient (DD) ; 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: minor commercial
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Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 24.8 - 29, mean 28 (based on 446 cells).

Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): High vulnerability (60 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

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