FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

1170 Holothurians
Actinopyga palauensis Panning, 1944
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Actinopyga miliaris (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833);
A. spinea Cherbonnier, 1980; other black species of Actinopyga.
FAO names: En - Panning’s blackfish.
calcareous ring
spicules of tentacles
spicules of ventral
podia
spicule of dorsal
podia
mouth ventral, with
20 stout tentacles
(after Féral and Cherbonnier, 1986)
arched bivium
spicules of tegument
anus with 5
strong anal
teeth
Diagnostic characters: Body elongate, cylindrical, slightly arched dorsally (bivium) and flattened
ventrally (trivium). Bivium generally covered by mucus and fine sediment. Papillae on bivium small and
conical; long and thick podia on bivium arranged more or less regularly in tight rows on the radii; calcareous
disc of podia around 350 µm in diameter. Mouth ventral, surrounded by 20 stout tentacles. Anus
surrounded by 5 strong, triangular anal teeth. Calcareous ring with large radial pieces showing an arch
at their base, and narrow interradials. Colour: bivium black; trivium lighter, dark brown. Spicules: ventral
and dorsal tegument with a variety of shredded rods and X-shaped spicules; ventral podia and dorsal
papillae with spiny rods; tentacles with large rods (up to 700 µm).
Size: Maximum length about 40 cm, commonly to about 30 cm; mean live weight 0.5 kg (up to 1.2 kg);
body-wall thickness about 6 mm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Occurs in moderately shallow waters, rarely in depths of more than 25 m;
never found on reef flats, but on flagstones of reef slopes. Populations reach medium densities (up to
0.1/m 2 ). A poorly known species. Probably collected by divers for artisanal fisheries, but not intensively so,
as it is found in lower densities
and has a deeper distribution
than other “blackfish” species.
The processed product is not
distinguished from those of
other Actinopyga species and
has a moderate commercial
value.
Distribution: Known only from
Palau and New Caledonia.