General Description
Body oval shape, soft and smooth, black to brown. Up to 3 cm long.
Biology
Females seasonally brood many juveniles in an internal body cavity (coelom) during late winter for release in spring. The presence of embryos of different size, and evidence of mid-body constriction, suggest that cloning occurs within the coelom. There is some evidence that the form in southeast Tasmania may be a separate species. A larger red to orange-coloured form in eastern and western Victoria and South Australia is yet to be described and named.
Distribution
South-eastern Australia.
Habitat
Rock crevices and on seaweed, to depth of at least 26 m.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Oval shape, black to brown.
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Colours
Black, Brown, Red, Orange
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Maximum Size
3 cm
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Habitats
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Diet
Organic matter
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, DSE Advisory List: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
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Depths
Shore (0-1 m), Shallow (1-30 m)
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Water Column Locations
On or near seafloor
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
(Bell, 1887)
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Common Name
Sea Cucumber
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Phylum
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Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
inconspicua
