PORT PHILLIP BAY


Sea Cucumber 

Neoamphicyclus materiae O'Loughlin, 2007

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Body wall ossicles are sparse small tables, predominantly with 3-7 perforations, and three-pillared spire that is frequently absent. Up to about 45 mm long, soft thin cucumber-shaped body, blue-grey to grey-brown with fine dark speckle, oral and anal ends frequently "black".

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Echinodermata
Class:
Holothuroidea
Order:
Dendrochirotida
Family:
Cucumariidae
Genus:
Neoamphicyclus
Species:
materiae

General Description

Body soft, cucumber-shaped, grey-blue to grey-brown with fine dark flecks, oral (mouth) and anal ends usually black. Up to 5 cm long.

Biology

Females seasonally brood many small juveniles in an internal body cavity (coelom) during late winter for release in spring. By late summer one or a few large juveniles have been found in the coelom of some females, indicating that auto-ingestion/"cannibalism" occurs to enhance species survival.

Habitat

Under or around the edges of rocks, and on seaweed, to depth of at least 6 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Sea cucumbers

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

5 cm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author O'Loughlin, P. M.

Mark O'Loughlin is an Honorary Associate in marine invertebrates at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
O'Loughlin, P. M., 2011, Sea Cucumber, Neoamphicyclus materiae, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 29 Mar 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/4702

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