Apostichopus parvimensis
A Pacific sea cucumber with warty skin and nocturnal habits.
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Apostichopus parvimensis, commonly known as the warty sea cucumber, is a Pacific species of sea cucumber found from the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, to Monterey Bay, California, USA. It is notable for its warty appearance and its ability to expel internal organs when threatened.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumEchinodermata
- ClassHolothuroidea
- OrderSynallactida
- FamilyStichopodidae
- GenusApostichopus
- SpeciesApostichopus parvimensis
Named by (H.L. Clark, 1913)
Close relatives
Other species of Apostichopus with a Codexery entry.
- Apostichopus japonicus Apostichopus japonicus
- California sea cucumber Apostichopus californicus
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Apostichopus parvimensis (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 529435 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Vulnerable (VU)
- LC
- NT
- VU▲ this species
- EN
- CR
- EW
- EX
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.4 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Apostichopus parvimensis
Where the apostichopus parvimensis has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (248,970 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 11 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)
Background
The warty sea cucumber has a soft, cylindrical body with red-brown to yellowish leathery skin and numerous grey spots, giving it its common name. It possesses an endoskeleton just below the skin, with the mouth and anus on opposite ends.
The mouth is surrounded by ten retractable tentacles used for feeding, and five rows of tube feet extend from the mouth to the anus. It is found mainly in low energy environments from the intertidal zone down to 30 m, though it can occur as deep as 60 m. Only scattered individuals were reported north of Point Conception, California.
More in Sea Cucumbers
Elsewhere in Sea Cucumbers and Brittle Stars
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Apostichopus parvimensis (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List assessment.
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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