Sea Cucumber Family Profile

Compiled by Debbie & Stan Hauter

Phylum Echinodermata Class Holothuroidea

Order Aspidichirotida Family Stichopodidae Genus Parastichopus/Stichopus

Members of the family Stichopodidae are mostly warty or lumpy, square or tapezoidal shaped in cross-section, and the majority (those of the genus Stichopus) have tube feet in rows on their flat undersides. They do not eject the sticky threads that members of the family Holothuriidae do, but if handled roughly they may eject their internal organs. Members of the genus Stichopus also have an unusual defense mechanism where they can melt, becoming completely limp and eventually disintegrating all together if taken out of the water. However, if they are not too far gone, they have the ability to reverse this process and recover. These animals are category #2 feeders.

• Black Knobby (Stichopus chloronotus)
• Range: Indo-West Pacific, Eastern Africa to Hawai'i (rarely), and the South Pacific.
• Size: To 12 inches
• Characteristics: Suggested to be good for reef aquariums when small.

• California (Parastichopus californicus; Stimpson, 1857)
 
• Hawaiian Spiky (Undescribed)
• Range: Occurs only in Hawai'i, found in waters from about 50 to at least 150 feet.
• Size: To about 20 inches.
• Characteristics: Somewhat similiar to Black Knobby (Stichopus chloronotus), but is dark reddish brown in color and studded with fleshy spikes up to 1 1/2 inches long, some being double (joined at the base).

• Hawaiian Yellow-Tip (Undescribed)
• Range: Known only from Hawai'i.
• Size: To about 4 inches.
• Characteristics: Somewhat similiar to Warty (Stichopus horrens), but may have thin black lines criss-crossing the whitish body and encircling the base of the warts. The warts are often orange-red in color, becoming yellowish at the tips. Strictly nocturnal, found unders stone during daylight hours.

• Johnson's (Parastichopus johnsoni; Theel, 1886)

• Southern California/Warty (Stichopus parvimensis; H.L. Clark, 1913)

• Warty (Stichopus horrens; Selenka, 1867)
• Range: Indo-Pacific.
• Size: To 10 inches.
• Characteristics: Can detach a piece of skin when attacked.

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Reference Resources
"Hawai'i's Sea Creatures: A Guide to Hawai'i's
Marine Invertebrates" by John P. Hoover.

Cucumber Defenses by Rob Toonen
Gad-Zooks Cukes! by Robert Fenner
Other Net Resources About Sea Cucumbers
Marine Species Taxonomy Database Resources

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More Resources
Sea Cucumber Care Index | Sea Cucumber Photos Index
Invert Care by Species Index
Fish & Invert Care Index | Fish & Invert Photos Index
Saltwater Livestock Suppliers Index

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