Actinopyga lecanora
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Actinopyga lecanora | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Holothuroidea |
| Order: | Holothuriida |
| Family: | Holothuriidae |
| Genus: | Actinopyga |
| Species: | A. lecanora |
| Binomial name | |
| Actinopyga lecanora | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Actinopyga lecanora, commonly known as the white-bottomed sea cucumber or stonefish,[3] 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.
Actinopyga lecanora grows to a length of about 250 mm (10 in). The top and bottom of the sea cucumber is a mottled tan-orange colour, and the anus is surrounded with a white ring, lending the sea cucumber its common name.[3]
Distribution and habitat
Actinopyga lecanora is found off the coasts of Asia and East Africa, in the tropical Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from Kenya and Madagascar to the west, to Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and other island groups in the western Pacific. It is considered rare in the Taiping Islands and Taiwan. It is nocturnal and typically found on forereef slopes, at depths between 0 and 23 m (0 and 80 ft), and prefers microhabitat with complex topography.[1][3][4]
