Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas

Taxa

Holothuroidea

Class

The sea cucumbers: echinoderms with a soft, elongated, cylindrical body and greatly reduced internal skeleton, unlike the rigid tests of their urchin and star relatives. Holothuroidea are important sediment-processing detritivores on the sea floor, and several species are gathered as a food and traditional-medicine commodity.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Class 2
Scientific Name
Holothuroidea 2
Member Count Band
Over 1000 Species 3
Era First Appeared
Cambrian 4
Disputed
Member Species/Taxa Count
1700 2
Approximate described-species (or, for a genus, described-taxon) count; continually revised as species are newly described, reclassified or synonymized.
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Echinodermata, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life

Parent Taxon Of

California Sea Cucumber, Species
Source Wikidata: California Sea Cucumber
Holothuria Edulis, Species
Source Holothuria Edulis (Wikidata)
Sea Pig, Species
Source Wikidata: Sea Pig
Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ127470, descriptionView the Source
2. Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeView the Source
3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Holothuroidea
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
Quote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 1837
View the Source
4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for Holothuroidea
Paleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
"taxon_name": "Holothuroidea" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 509.7 ... "early_interval": "Stage 4"
View the Source
Wikidata: Holothuroidea
Wikidata Q127470, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikidata: Sea Pig
Parent Taxon Of: Sea Pig, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Holothuria Edulis (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Holothuria Edulis, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: California Sea Cucumber
Parent Taxon Of: California Sea Cucumber, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Sea cucumber - Wikipedia
In Group: Echinoderm Classes, Lead
Quote, In Group: Echinoderm Classes, Lead
Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea ( HOL-ə-thyuu-ROY-dee-ə, HOH-lə-).
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.