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sea
cucumbers text index
| photo index
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| Phylum Echinodermata > Class Holothuroidea |
| Little
African sea cucumber Afrocucumis africana* Family Sclerodactylidae updated Mar 10 Where seen? This small purplish sea cucumber is sometimes seen under stones, particularly on our Northern shores. Usually alone, but sometimes several are seen together under one stone. According to Teo Siyang, these are widespread and common, found in shallow tropical waters from East Africa, India, Southeast Asia, China, Japan and Taiwan to Australia and the Pacific Islands. Features: 3-8cm long. Body angular with short tube feet in rows along the length. The tube feet are used to cling to the underside of the stone as well as to hold debris all over the body. It is plain purple (some lilac, others deep purple). Baby sea cucumbers: From Teo Siyang, these sea cucumbers multiply by fission, i.e., by dividing into pieces. Which is why sometimes we see lots of them together under a stone! They also do undergo sexual reproduction. |
 Changi, Aug 05  Tube feet used to cling to the stone. |
 Tube feet also holds debris all over the body. |
Little African sea cucumbers on Singapore shores
 Several seen together under one stone. St. John's Island, May 05 |
 In water St. John's Island, Mar 05 |
 Sentosa, Jul 08 |
 Changi, Jul 02 |
*Species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display
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