Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Holothuria atra
- Common name
- Black sea cucumber
- Category
- Echinoderms
- Family
- Holothuriidae
- Genus
- Holothuria
- Size
- 20–60 cm
- Depth
- 0–20 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- sand, coral-reef, seagrass
- Behaviours
- benthic, slow-mover
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea, Eastern Pacific
Description
Holothuria atra reaches 60 cm. Sea cucumber with entirely velvet black cylindrical body characteristic (hence atra), often covered with white-beige adhering sand (camouflage). Grazes sand digesting organic matter. Lives from 0 to 20 m on sands, shallow coral reefs and seagrass of entire Indo-Pacific. Extremely abundant, sometimes covers entire zones. Listed LC. Minimal commercial fishery. Key role in bioturbation and nutrient recycling of coral sediments. Often first organism observed in tropical snorkeling.
Photo of Black sea cucumber
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Black sea cucumber?
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) reaches 20–60 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Black sea cucumber?
- Black sea cucumber is found between 0–20 m deep.
- Is the Black sea cucumber dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Black sea cucumber?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Black sea cucumber?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Holothuria
- Holothuria tubulosa - Tubular sea cucumber
- Holothuria forskali - Cotton-spinner
- Holothuria edulis - Pink sea cucumber
- Holothuria fuscogilva - White teatfish
- Holothuria sanctori - Brown sea cucumber
- Holothuria poli - Poli's sea cucumber
Other species in the family Holothuriidae
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 1672768)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2279167)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia