Cook Islands Biodiversity Database

Species Page

Back to: «« Search Page | « Results Page

Add to My List

Bohadschia marmorata

Brown Sandfish

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Type	Description	Download
Image:	Adult (eviscerated), Rarotonga	33KB
Image:	Adult (eviscerated), Rarotonga	32KB
Image:	Adult, Guam	62KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Brown Sandfish, Chalkfish

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Marine, near-shore, Moat, rubble and sand

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Food (Beche-de-mer)

KEY FEATURES: A large (20x7cm, but to 40cm), soft-bodied sea-cucumber. Pale cream with a few, large to small, brown blotches. Dorsal and lateral surfaces covered with fine translucent papillae, to 1cm; often arising from a brown spot on the skin. Underside densely covered in translucent tube-feet with slightly expanded tips. The Cuverian Tubules are copious, large, silvery, and long - and very sticky.

Enlarged Image of 'Bohadschia marmorata'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
+

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Bohadschia marmorata Jaeger, 1833
SYNONYMS: Bohadschia marmorata vitiensis; Holothuria marmorata

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; ECHINODERMATA; ELEUTHEROZOA; HOLOTHUROIDEA; Aspidochirota; HOLOTHURIIDAE

More Information

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Food (Beche-de-mer). Comments: Exported from some countries as a high-grade Beche-de-mer. (mid-1990 - 10US$/kg)

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: D.Drumm, 2/99, Muri south, in sandy substrate.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
Please refer to our use policy.

Biodiversity Database: More Options | Help

My List: View List | Edit List | Clear List