Stichopus chloronotus
A widespread Indo-Pacific sea cucumber of least concern.
Last updated
Stichopus chloronotus is a species of sea cucumber known by the common names greenfish sea cucumber, spiky sea cucumber, and black knobby sea cucumber. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region, has a wide range, and is abundant, leading the IUCN to list it as being of 'Least Concern'.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumEchinodermata
- ClassHolothuroidea
- OrderSynallactida
- FamilyStichopodidae
- GenusStichopus
- SpeciesStichopus chloronotus
Named by Brandt, 1835
Close relatives
Other species of Stichopus with a Codexery entry.
- Stichopus herrmanni Stichopus herrmanni
- Stichopus naso Stichopus naso
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Stichopus chloronotus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 149789 (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: Stichopus chloronotus
Where the stichopus chloronotus has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (4,797 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 12 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Background
Stichopus chloronotus is a fairly large sea cucumber, growing to about 25 cm (10 in) with a firm but pliable body and a squarish cross section. Its skin is smooth but bears numerous conical fleshy papillae in longitudinal rows, which are larger on the lower lateral angles.
The body is a deep blackish-green, with yellow or red tips to the papillae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific, with a range extending from the Red Sea and the East Coast of Africa through Madagascar, the Seychelles, the Comores, and Réunion to Australia, Indonesia, China, Japan, Guam, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. It lives on reefs and can also be found on rubble located on outer reef flats at depths down to about 12 m (39 ft).
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: Stichopus chloronotus (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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