{{Short description|Family of sea cucumbers}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Holothuria pervicax.jpg | image_caption = ''Holothuria pervicax'' | taxon = Holothuriidae | authority = Burmeister, 1837<ref name=WORMS/> | subdivision = 5, see text | synonyms = {{hidden begin|title = List}} * Actinopygidae <small>Domantay, 1969</small> * Bohadschiidae <small>Gill, 1907</small> * Bohadschiidae <small>Poche, 1907</small> * Holothuridae <small>Burmeister, 1837</small> * Holothuriidae <small>Ludwig, 1894</small> * Labidodematidae <small>James, 1981</small> * Labidodematidae <small>Domantay, 1969</small> * Lessonothuriidae <small>Domantay, 1969</small> * Ludwigothuriidae <small>Domantay, 1969</small> * Selenkothuriidae <small>Domantay, 1969</small> * Vaneyothuriidae <small>Domantay, 1969</small> {{hidden end}} }}
'''Holothuriidae''' is a family of sea cucumbers, a type of echinoderm.<ref name=WORMS/>
==Description== Members of the family Holothuriidae have thick fleshy bodies and several rows of tube feet which are used for moving around and for adhering to the surface. The body is often covered with blunt projections known as papillae. Many of the members of this family are able to eject a mass of fine sticky threads known as cuvierian tubules to distract predators, or even turn their viscera inside out.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/seacucumbercare/tp/seacucumberprofhub.htm |title=Saltwater Aquariums |access-date=2011-07-27 |archive-date=2015-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907022413/http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/seacucumbercare/tp/seacucumberprofhub.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
For the taxonomic determination, the genera ''Actinopyga'' and ''Bohadschia'' have their spicules exclusively shaped like sticks, and the genera ''Holothuria'' and ''Labidodemas'' never have theirs shaped like tables. ''Actinopyga'' is also equipped with anal teeth (modified podia), and never throw out Cuvieran tubules, just like ''Pearsonothuria''.
Members of this family occur throughout the oceans of the world at low to middle latitudes. They often live in coral reefs and nearby sandy habitat types, and a few occur in deeper waters. In the Indo-Pacific they are often dominant taxa in coral reef habitat. Most species are detritivores.<ref name=kerr>{{cite journal |last1=Kerr |first1=Alexander M. |last2=Janies |first2=Daniel A. |last3=Clouse |first3=Ronald M. |last4=Samyn |first4=Yves |last5=Kuszak |first5=Jeni |last6=Kim |first6=Junhyong |title=Molecular phylogeny of coral-reef sea cucumbers (Holothuriidae: Aspidochirotida) based on 16S mitochondrial ribosomal DNA sequence |journal=Marine Biotechnology |date=2004 |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=53–60 |doi=10.1007/s10126-004-0019-y|pmid=15997365 |bibcode=2005MarBt...7...53K |s2cid=976615 }}</ref>
==Genera== This is the second largest family of sea cucumbers with over 200 recognized species.<ref name=kerr/>
Accepted genera are:<ref name=WORMS>{{cite WoRMS |year=2024 |title=Holothuriidae Burmeister, 1837 |id=731943 |access-date=25 October 2024}}</ref> *''Actinopyga''<small> Bronn, 1860</small> – 18 species *''Bohadschia''<small> Jaeger, 1833</small> – 12 species *''Holothuria''<small> Linnaeus, 1767</small> – 163 species *''Labidodemas''<small> Selenka, 1867</small> – 8 species *''Pearsonothuria''<small> Levin in Levin, Kalinin & Stonik, 1984</small> – 1 species
{{clear}} <gallery style="text-align:center;" mode="packed"> File:Actinopyga echinites1.jpg|''Actinopyga echinites'' File:Bohadschia argus.jpg|''Bohadschia argus'' File:Holothuria edulis1.JPG|''Holothuria edulis'' File:Labidodemas rugosum.jpg|''Labidodemas rugosum'' File:Pearsonothuria graeffei Voavah.JPG|''Pearsonothuria graeffei'' </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Holothuriidae nav}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q2490529}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Holothuriidae Category:Echinoderm families Category:Taxa named by Hermann Burmeister