Isostichopus badionotus

Isostichopus badionotus, also known as the chocolate chip cucumber or the cookie dough sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumber in the family Stichopodidae. This common species is found in warm parts of the Atlantic Ocean.[1]

Isostichopus badionotus

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Synallactida
Family: Stichopodidae
Genus: Isostichopus
Species:
I. badionotus
Binomial name
Isostichopus badionotus
Selenka, 1867

Description

This is a large species that can grow to a length of 45 cm (1 ft 6 in), but the average adult size is about 21 cm (8 in).[2] It has distinctive dark coloured "warts" in three coarse rows on its dorsal surface, the rest of the body may vary from white through to shades of orange to brown, with sometimes large brownish stains. The mouth is located ventrally and surrounded by about 20 large tentacles.

Habitat and range

This species is widespread in the warm Atlantic, where found from North Carolina (USA), through the Caribbean, to north Brazil, at Ascension Island and in the Gulf of Guinea.[1][2] It is found at depths between 0 and 55 m (0–180 ft).[1]

It inhabits shallow waters, in a wide variety of bottoms (sand, mud, rock, seaweeds...).[1]

Reproduction

Similar to other tropical Holothuroidea, the Isostichopus badiontus is dioecious. Males and females release their gametes into water where fertilization happens externally. A study in the Caribbean Sea observed that the species has an increase in reproductive activity when temperatures increase.[3]

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References
  1. Carpenter, K.E.; Harwell, H.; Polidoro, B. & Knapp, L. (2010). "Isostichopus badionotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Steven W. Purcell, Yves Samyn and Chantal Conand, Commercially important sea cucumbers of the world, Roma, FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes Nb. 6, 2012, 233 p. (ISBN 978-92-5-106719-2).
  3. Guzmán, H.; Guevara, C.; Hernández, I. (February 2003). "Reproductive cycle of two commercial species of sea cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from Caribbean Panama". Marine Biology. 142 (2): 271–279. doi:10.1007/s00227-002-0939-x. ISSN 0025-3162.


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