Holothuriidae

Holothuriidae is a family of sea cucumbers, which are echinoderms. These animals have thick, fleshy bodies and multiple rows of tube feet they use for movement and gripping surfaces. Their bodies are often covered with blunt projections called papillae. Many species can defend themselves by shooting out a mass of fine, sticky threads known as cuvierian tubules, or by turning their internal organs inside out.

For taxonomic identification, the genera Actinopyga and Bohadschia have spicules shaped only like sticks, while Holothuria and Labidodemas never have table-shaped spicules. Actinopyga also has anal teeth (modified podia) and, like Pearsonothuria, never ejects cuvierian tubules. Members of this family are found worldwide in low to middle latitudes, typically living in coral reefs and nearby sandy areas, with a few species inhabiting deeper waters.

In the Indo-Pacific, they are often dominant in coral reef habitats. Most species are detritivores. With over 200 recognized species, this is the second largest family of sea cucumbers. The accepted genera are Actinopyga (18 species), Bohadschia (12 species), Holothuria (163 species), Labidodemas (8 species), and Pearsonothuria (1 species).