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

Holothuroidea | Holothuriida | Holothuriidae

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

Reef-associated; depth range 5 - 30 m (Ref. 122). Subtropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Western Central Pacific: New Caledonia, Palau and Micronesia.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm Max length : 38.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 122); common length : 27.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 122); max. published weight: 1.2 kg (Ref. 122)

Short description Morphology

Mean live weight 700 to 1,200 g; body thickness 0.5 cm. Body elongate, cylindrical, slightly arched dorsally (bivium) and flattened ventrally (trivium). Bivium generally covered by fine sediment. Papillae on bivium small, slender, and conical; cylindrical and thick podia on trivium arranged irregularly on the radii and interradii; calcareous disc of podia around 700 micrometer in diameter. Mouth ventral, surrounded by 20 stout tentacles. Anus sub dorsal, surrounded by 5 strong, triangular, and nodose anal teeth. Calcareous ring thick, with large radial pieces and narrow interradials. Cuvierian tubules absent. Bivium black; trivium dark brown. Spicules sparse in the ventral and dorsal tegument, abundant only near the mouth, anus, and tentacles; a few rods in the dorsal tegument give rise to numerous rosettes, rods, and various plates; small to large plates provided with holes and spines near the anus; tentacles with rods straight or arched, bearing small spines.

May be collected by divers for artisanal fisheries along with other "blackfish" species, but not intensively so, since it is found in comparatively low densities and has deeper distribution. Processed product is not distinguished from those of other Actinopyga species; probably has a moderate commercial value. Found in moderately shallow water; on the lagoon floor, sometimes burrowed in sandy-muddy sediments (Ref. 122). Also on sandy reef flats and protected fine sand lagoons and bays (Ref. 92930). Populations reach medium densities up to 0.1 per square meter. A poorly known species (Ref. 122).

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

Main reference References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Conand, C. 1998. (Ref. 122)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 18 May 2010

CITES status (Ref. 108899)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial
| FishSource |

Tools

E-book | Field guide

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items

Common names
Synonyms
Predators
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Morphology
Larvae
Abundance

References
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 24.7 - 29.4, mean 28.3 (based on 1018 cells).

Vulnerability (Ref. 71543): Low to moderate vulnerability (28 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Unknown.

Actinopyga spinea Cherbonnier, 1980