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Holothuria scabra Jaeger, 1833
| Family Name: | Holothuriidae |
| Taxonomic Group: | Invertebrates (Echinoderm) |
| Common Name: | Common Sea Cucumber, Sandfish |
Name
Ecology, Habitat & Location
| Ecological Notes | Found at low tide mark on sandy beaches, often buried or partially buried. Derives nourishment from organic matter ingested with sediments. This is one of the few bêche de mer species that occurs in Singapore waters. |
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| Habitats | Marine, Sandy Shore |
| Distribution | Occasionally found at the low tide mark at Changi Beach and intertidally at Chek Jawa (P. Ubin). Its habit of concealment by burrowing suggests that it may be more common than is generally supposed. |
| Nature Areas | Pulau Ubin |
Conservation
| Trends & Threats | Harvesting of this species for the bêche de mer trade is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific but the numbers in Singapore are too low to support a viable fishery. The main potential threat would be further land reclamation in the Changi area. |
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| Scientific Interest & Potential Value | Known to harbour symbiotic crabs within the ventilatory cloacal chamber. It is a high-value commercial species and one of the few bêche de mer species that has been successfully reared in aquaculture. Worldwide the capture fishery yields the second largest catch after the Japanese sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus. Since Singapore is one of the major trading centres for processed bêche de mer, efforts could be directed towards intensive mariculture of this local species. |
| Conservation Notes | The major factor affecting the continued survival of this species in Singapore waters is, apparently, not collection for food but the threat of further land reclamation, particularly in the Changi region. Intertidal sandy habitats of this species need to be included in MPAs. |
Status
| Singapore Red Data Book Status | Vulnerable (VU) [2008] |
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Photos
References
| References | Davison, G.W.H., Ng, P.K.L. & Ho, H.C (Eds.). 2008. The Singapore Red Data Book (2nd Edition). Singapore: Nature Society (Singapore). 285pp |
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