Stichopus chloronotus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Stichopus chloronotus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Echinodermata |
| Class: | Holothuroidea |
| Order: | Synallactida |
| Family: | Stichopodidae |
| Genus: | Stichopus |
| Species: | S. chloronotus |
| Binomial name | |
| Stichopus chloronotus Brandt, 1835[2] | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Stichopus chloronotus is a species of sea cucumber. Common names include the greenfish sea cucumber, the spiky sea cucumber and the black knobby sea cucumber. [3] It is native to the Indo-Pacific region. It has a wide range and is abundant and the IUCN lists it as being of "Least Concern".
Stichopus chloronotus is a fairly large species growing to about 25 cm (10 in) with a firm but pliable body and a squarish cross section. The skin is smooth but there are numerous conical fleshy papillae in longitudinal rows, and these are larger on the lower lateral angles. This sea cucumber is a deep blackish-green in colour, and has yellow or red tips to the papillae.[3][4]
Some specimens can be blueish
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Distribution and habitat
Stichopus chloronotus is native to the Indo-Pacific. Its range extends from the Red Sea and the East Coast of Africa, through Madagascar, the Seychelles, the Comores and Réunion[2] to Australia, Indonesia, China, Japan, Guam, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.[1] It lives on reefs, but can also be found on rubble located on the outer reef flats[4] at depths down to about 12 m (39 ft).[3]
Biology
Stichopus chloronotus is a detritivore and sifts through the sediment on the seabed with its tentacles and feeds on detritus and other organic matter including plant and animal remains, bacteria, protozoa, diatoms and faeces.[5] In the process it swallows a lot of sand and plays an important part in churning up and aerating the seabed.[6]
Stichopus chloronotus can reproduce asexually by undergoing transverse fission, forming two new individuals which each regenerate the missing parts. It can also reproduce sexually.[1]
