Sea cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) species richness at selected localities in Malaysia


Citation

Gires Usup, . and Kamarul Rahim Kamarudin, . and Ridzwan Hashim, . and Maryam Mohamed Rehan, . Sea cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) species richness at selected localities in Malaysia. pp. 7-32.

Abstract

This study aimed at documenting species richness and distribution of sea cucumbers (Phylum Echinodermata: Class Holothuroidea) in Malaysia. Sea cucumber collections were conducted from August 2004 until November 2011 from several study sites in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. A total of fifty two morphospecies of sea cucumbers from four orders comprising of 12 genera were documented. Thirty eight species were recorded for Sabah followed by 24 species for Peninsular Malaysia and 10 species were recorded in both regions. However nine species required further taxonomic works for their identification. Of the 15 Actinopyga species recorded 14 species were from Sabah and one species was from Peninsular Malaysia. The order Aspidochirotida in general and genus Holothuria in particular were the dominant taxa. Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) leucospilota (Brandt 1835) is the dominant species in Malaysia as it was observed and documented at all collection sites. Future studies on the species richness of sea cucumbers are required in Sarawak marine waters and the molecular phylogeny of the sea cucumbers in order to obtain a better understanding of the evolutionary relationships between the sea cucumbers of Malaysia.


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Abstract

This study aimed at documenting species richness and distribution of sea cucumbers (Phylum Echinodermata: Class Holothuroidea) in Malaysia. Sea cucumber collections were conducted from August 2004 until November 2011 from several study sites in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. A total of fifty two morphospecies of sea cucumbers from four orders comprising of 12 genera were documented. Thirty eight species were recorded for Sabah followed by 24 species for Peninsular Malaysia and 10 species were recorded in both regions. However nine species required further taxonomic works for their identification. Of the 15 Actinopyga species recorded 14 species were from Sabah and one species was from Peninsular Malaysia. The order Aspidochirotida in general and genus Holothuria in particular were the dominant taxa. Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) leucospilota (Brandt 1835) is the dominant species in Malaysia as it was observed and documented at all collection sites. Future studies on the species richness of sea cucumbers are required in Sarawak marine waters and the molecular phylogeny of the sea cucumbers in order to obtain a better understanding of the evolutionary relationships between the sea cucumbers of Malaysia.

Additional Metadata

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Item Type: Article
AGROVOC Term: Sea cucumbers
AGROVOC Term: Echinodermata
AGROVOC Term: Holothuroidea
AGROVOC Term: Phylogeny
AGROVOC Term: Stichopodidae
AGROVOC Term: Stichopus horrens
AGROVOC Term: Thelenota anax
AGROVOC Term: Marine animals
AGROVOC Term: Habitats
Geographical Term: Malaysia
Depositing User: Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified: 26 Apr 2025 03:14
URI: http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/21373

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