|
| |
|
Related FAQs: Fishes of Hawai'i, Articles
on: The Best Butterflyfishes of Hawai'i, Triggerfishes
of Hawai'i, Related Articles: A Fishwatcher's Guide to
the Marine Aquarium Fishes of Hawai'i,
Introduction to
Fishwatcher's Guide
Series Pieces/Sections, Scott's Trip to
Maui/Hawai'i, Holualoa property,
A Fishwatcher's Guide to the Marine
Invertebrates of Hawai'i
Part 4 of
4, To:
Part 3, Part 2,
Part 1,
|
Anthelia edmondsonii,
the most common of the few soft corals found in Hawai'i |
|
by Bob Fenner
|
. |
Echinoderms
Sea Urchins:
| Brissus latecarcinatus
(test) Leske 1778, the Keeled Heart Urchin. When live this urchin lives
barely under the sand and is covered with short brownish to pinkish spines. Hawai'i
pix of upper and obverse tests (exoskeletons), showing the crescent mouth
opening and anus at the other end. |
 
|
| Chondrocidaris gigantea, A. Agassiz 1863, the
Rough-Spined Urchin. Dark Larger outer spines covered with fouling
organisms (algae, sponges, bryozoans...). Relatively
short, secondary spines are clean. Hawai'i and New Caledonia at depths of
usually 30 meters plus. Hawai'i pix. |
 
|
| Colobocentrotus altratus (Linnaeus 1758), the Shield
Urchin. Indo-Pacific; scattered from Africa to Hawai'i. Intertidal to six
feet of depth. Eats algae in the surf/surge zone. Here above the water
mark off of Kailua, Kona (Hawai'i's Big Island) airport coast. |
|
| Diadema paucispinum (A. Agassiz 1863), a Long-Spined Sea
Urchin. Pacific; Hawai'i and islands of the South Pacific. To about twelve
inches
maximum diameter, with spines. Usually in 60 or more feet of water on a
vertical surface. Common name means "few spines" which you may
not agree with if you get poked but good. Kona pix. |
 
|
| Echinothrix calamaris (Pallas 1774), the Hatpin
Urchin. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to Hawai'i. Should be kept singly and may
prey on cnidarian livestock. Need large spaces in rock to hide amongst by
day and coarse substrate. Cebu, Philippines and Hawai'i images. |
 
|
| Heterocentrotus mammillatus (Linnaeus 1758), the
(Red) Pencil Urchin. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to Hawai'i. Nocturnal, hiding
in crevices by day in depths to thirty feet, emerging at night to rasp
rocks. To one foot overall diameter. Hawai'i picture. |
|
| Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus 1758), the Priest-Hat
or Collector Urchin. Family Toxopneustidae. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to
Hawai'i. Toxic to the touch to sea life. To about five inches in diameter
overall. Mentioned so hobbyists will avoid it. Shown: At right in Hawai'i. |
|
Sea Cucumbers:
| Actinopyga mauritiana (Quoy & Gaimard 1833), the
White-Spotted Sea Cucumber, loli (Hawaiian). Frequently found in surgy,
seaward, shallow water settings, holding on firmly to the rocky substrate
with their tube feet. To twelve inches. Hawai'i pic. |
|
| Holothuria
atra Jager 1833, the Black Sea Cucumber. Indo-Pacific; Red Sea to
Hawai'i. Detritivore often found in shallows, close to shore. General
detritivore. To two feet in length. This one in Hawai'i. |
|
| Holothuria edulis Lesson
1830, the Edible Sea Cucumber.
Indo-Pacific including
Hawai'i. Skin soft, pink underneath, blackish above. Found in shallows, close to shore. General
detritivore. To eight inches in length. One in Fiji, another in captivity.
Edible but not considered delicious. |
 
|
| Holothuria hilla Lesson 1830, the Light-Spotted Sea
Cucumber. Found partly exposed at night times in rocky and sandy settings.
Indo-Pacific. Hawai'i pic. |
|
| Holothuria whitmaei
Bell 1887, the Teated
Sea Cucumber. Indo-Pacific. To one foot plus. Hard black
bodied with light sand coating stuck to the outside. Called the "Mammy Fish"
for its nipple-like "feet". Prized for the consumption of the outer
body-wall as "beche de mer". This "loli" in Hawaii. |
 |
| Stichopus chloronotus Brandt 1835, the Black Sea
Cucumber. Indo-West Pacific; eastern Africa to Hawai'i and the South
Pacific. Useful for reef aquariums when small. To one foot in length. One in Roratonga, Cook Islands, where it's contents are often consumed as
"rori" and another off of Hawaii's Big Island. |
 
|
Sea Stars:
|
Acanthaster planci,
the Crown of Thorns Star. The
Triton Snail, Charonia tritonis is about the only predator of this coral
eater in Hawai'i. To
about a foot and a half across... and venomous! Do not touch. Here in Hawai'i,
moving and eating.
|
  |
| Culcita novaeguineae Mullet & Troschel 1842, the
Bun Starfish, Pincushion Star. Eastern Indian Ocean, Western Pacific. To a
foot in diameter. Though seemingly sessile, this animal requires large
quarters with plenty of open space, and feeding of bivalves, snails, fish
meat, tablets... and may eat your corals! Images made in Hawai'i. |
|
| Leiaster glaber
Peters 1852, the Red Velvet
Star. Slender arms, irregular red blotching, small central disc. To about 8
inches across. Indo-Pacific including eastern Pacific. Nocturnal, unlike the
similar Linckia guildingi of similar coloring and markings. Here in
Hawai'i. |
 |
| Linckia guildingi Gray 1840, the Green Linckia.
Usually with five (sometimes 4 or 6) arms that are cylindrical in cross
section. Skin appears smooth but is coarse with low, hard nodules. Though
called "green" occurs in other colors (tan, beige, brown, blue,
reddish). Big Island Hawaii pix. |
 
|
| Mithrodia fisheri Holly 1932, Fisher's Star. Body
covered with large bumps. Color variable; from white to cinnamon,
generally with dark banding on roundish arms that have
a lateral row of blunt spines. Feeds on sponges, bryozoans,
other sessile invertebrates. Most about 4-6 inches in diameter though
attains at least a foot. Daytime and nocturnal. Kona pix. |
  |
| Ophidiaster hemprichii Muller &
Troschel 1842, Hemprich's Star. Legs round in cross section, of
variable color, usually reddish brown, with grey blotches. Body made over
with nine rows of articulating plates. To four inches overall. Tropical
Pacific. |
 |
Brittlestars:
| Ophiocoma erinaceus Muller & Troschel 1842, the Spiny Brittle Star.
Indo-Pacific. To 5.5 inches in diameter. Dark by day, grayish bands by
night. Found in association with living corals. Hawai'i' pic at night. |
|
Ascidians/Sea Squirts:
| Ascidea sydneiensis Stimpson 1855. Yellow-Green Sea
Squirt. Solitary urn-shaped zooids of up to four inches in height.
Large and few oral siphons. Variable in color. Worldwide in tropical seas.
Hawai'i pic. |
|
To: Part 3,
Part 2, Part
1,
Bibliography/Further Information:
| |
|
