PORT PHILLIP BAY


Sea Cucumber 

Pentocnus bursatus O'Loughlin & O'Hara, 1992

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Body wall ossicles are elongate plates with two large central perforations and small surface spines. This genus is unique as there are only five plates in the calcareous ring. Small (body up to 15 mm long), worm-like, soft, reddish-brown to bright red.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Echinodermata
Class:
Holothuroidea
Order:
Dendrochirotida
Family:
Cucumariidae
Genus:
Pentocnus
Species:
bursatus

General Description

Body worm-like, soft, red-brown to bright red. Up to 2 cm long.

Biology

In this species the sexes are not separate, and all adult specimens have one or a few developing juveniles in thin brood sacs (bursa) in the internal body cavity (coelom). Brood juveniles grow up to a quarter of the parent size in the coelom before breaking out through the body wall that then heals.

Habitat

On seaweed, to depth of at least 6 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia, including western and central Victoria.

Species Group

Sea cucumbers

Depth

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

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

2 cm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Vulnerable
  • 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, Pentocnus bursatus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 04 Nov 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/4707

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