Australostichopus
Monotypic sea cucumber genus with aquaculture and bioremediation potential.
Last updated
Australostichopus is a monotypic genus of sea cucumbers in the family Stichopodidae, represented solely by the species Australostichopus mollis, commonly known as the brown sea cucumber or Australasian sea cucumber. It is notable for its fishery potential in the Southern Hemisphere and its ability to reduce waste produced by aquaculture, as well as its promising business potential within an important Asian market.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumEchinodermata
- ClassHolothuroidea
- OrderSynallactida
- FamilyStichopodidae
- GenusAustralostichopus
- SpeciesAustralostichopus mollis
Named by (Hutton, 1872)
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Australostichopus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 529443 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC)
- LC▲ this species
- NT
- VU
- 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, 0.25 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Australostichopus
Where the australostichopus has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (2,513 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 49 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)
Background
Australostichopus mollis is found around the entire coastline of New Zealand, sometimes co-existing with reef structures, and from New South Wales to south Western Australia. It principally inhabits the littoral at low tide level on sand, as well as in mud in protected areas, with a vertical range from shallow waters to around 200 metres depth.
Adults are typically 13 to 25 cm long, with a soft body varying from light mottled brown to black, and possess 20 tentacles with disc-shaped tips surrounding a slit-like mouth. The species reproduces sexually with separate sexes, though some hermaphrodites have been found, and spawning is regulated by lunar cycles following a full moon. Auto-evisceration occurs, but handling does not trigger it, and predation appears limited to the starfish Luidia varia.
Did You Know?
- The complete larval stage takes approximately 21 days, with seven stages of metamorphosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big do adult Australostichopus mollis get?
Mature individuals typically measure between 13 and 25 centimetres in length. They are found in waters ranging from coastal shallows down to roughly 200 metres depth.
How does Australostichopus mollis reproduce?
The breeding window runs from October through February, and the free-swimming larval stage lasts about 21 days before settling. Adults bear 20 tentacles, and wild populations maintain a balanced 1:1 male-to-female ratio.
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: Australostichopus (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 , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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