survey of the shallow-water sea cucumbers of the central philippines

Black Forereef Sea Cucumber
Holothuria aff. atra
This species is usually identified as H. atra, a smaller species
and one of the most common sea cucumbers throughout much of
its range in the Indo-west Pacific. It grows to about 40 cm in
length and is usually found exposed day and night on bare
sediment of the forereef slope to at least 30 m. Unlike the
shallow-water H atra, it is never covered by a thin, even layer of
sand with patches of exposed dorsum. Instead it may be
covered in a thin, possibly mucus sheath. It also does not
release a wine-coloured exudate when rubbed. This may
therefore be a different, possibly new species.
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