Actinopyga palauensis
Deepwater Blackfish
©Anne Hoggett: Actinopyga palauensis showing anal teeth, lagoon entrance, Lizard Island (specimen 1).
©Anne Hoggett: Actinopyga palauensis showing anal teeth and bumpy surface texture, lagoon entrance, Lizard Island (specimen 2, also about 30 cm long).
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Echinodermata
Class
Holothuroidea
Order
Aspidochirotida
Family
Holothuriidae
Genus
Actinopyga
Species
Actinopyga palauensis
Colours
Distinguishing features
A large, solid sea cucumber that is dark brown to black all over with a bumpy surface (often with some sand) and small, sparse papillae. Five orange anal teeth that are noticeably rough. Does not contract into a ball when disturbed and does not have cuverian tubules.
Size
- Up to 40 cm (length, Purcell et al, 2012)
Depth range
- Up to 25 m (Purcell et al, 2012)
Synonyms
Similar taxa
-
Animalia:
Blackfish (species: Actinopyga miliaris)
does not have a bumpy surface texture and contracts into a hard ball when disturbed. -
Animalia:
Burrowing Blackfish (species: Actinopyga spinea)
does not have a bumpy surface texture and lives less closely associated with reefs.
Distribution
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Purcell, S.W., Y. Samyn and C. Conand (2012). Commercially important sea cucumbers of the world 150 pp., 30 pl. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.