species: Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens in taxonomy (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens


©Anne Hoggett: Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens at Lizard Island.

©Anne Hoggett: Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens at Lizard Island, under rubble, 200 mm long.

©Anne Hoggett: Feeding tentacles of Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens.
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Echinodermata
Class Holothuroidea
Order Aspidochirotida
Family Holothuriidae
Genus Holothuria
Species Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens

Colours

                                                                          

Distinguishing features

Colour is variable including pinks, browns and banding. Texture is quite firm and papillae are prominent.

From analysis of molecular data, Michonneau (2015) considers that 'Holothuria impatiens' - widespread in the Indo-Pacific, West Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea - is a species complex of at least 13 species. He found three of those groups at Lizard Island: ESU1, ESU2 and gracilis. However, the paper is a preprint that had not been published in a peer-reviewed journal as at Jul 2020.

Size

  • Up to 20 cm (Length of specimen)
  • Up to 25 cm (Length of relaxed animal)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Web resources

References

  • Bakus, G.J. (1981). Chemical defense mechanisms on the Great Barrier Reef, Science, 211: 497-499. LIRS catalog number 41.
  • Cannon, L.R.G. and H. Silver (1986). Sea Cucumbers of Northern Australia Queensland Museum, Brisbane. LIRS catalog number 229.
  • Michonneau, F. (2015). Cryptic and not-so-cryptic species in the complex “Holothuria (Thymiosycia) imaptiens” (Forsskål, 1775) (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriidae).University of Miami. Cryptic and not-so-cryptic species in the complex “Holothuria (Thymiosycia) imaptiens” (Forsskål, 1775) (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Holothuriidae). [

    Remains unpublished in a peer reviewed journal as far as I can determine - AH, 18 Jul 2020.

    ] LIRS catalog number 90362.
  • View all references