Sea cucumber is useful. Sea cucumbers: medicinal properties, recipes, photos

Sea cucumber, sea cucumber, sea pods are all different names for the same marine echinoderm invertebrate mollusk that looks like a fat caterpillar. There are over a thousand species of this mollusk, sea cucumber trepang is a number of subspecies that are edible and are used for food. Differences between species relate to the structure of the tentacles, size and internal organs.

These animals live in the depths of marine salt water, the average depth at which they are found is about 100 m. The oval body of the mollusk can resemble a cucumber, it is covered with thick skin and spikes, sometimes very similar to cucumber pimples.

The appearance of the holothurian

Holothuria is a unique mollusk of its kind, it resembles both a worm and a caterpillar. His body is soft, in some cases the skin can be smooth, in others - rough and in growths. Depending on the type spikes are short and long. The color of the sea cucumber also differs from one species to another, but dark tones predominate: gray, green, black, brown.

The variety of sizes of holothurians is impressive, the smallest representatives do not exceed 0.5 cm, and the largest can reach 5 meters! By this they attract hunters of marine animals.

Holothurians cannot chew or grind food; there are no teeth or other devices for this in the mouth. The mouth is located at the front end of the body. Some species resemble a ball or flask, they are able to attach themselves to rocks or burrow into silt, this is possible due to the location of the mouth closer to the back.

A distinctive feature of holothurians is the presence of tentacles around the mouth, these are modified ambulacral legs. Their structure is different, and the number varies from 10 to 30 pieces. The function of the tentacles is to capture and catch food from the bottom or body of water.

The fact that the holothurian has such extraordinary look, does not make it difficult to determine by eye the dorsal and abdominal regions. The morphological structure of the belly of the sea cucumber is strikingly different from other animals. The holothurian always moves on its side, so the names of the dorsal and abdominal regions do not quite coincide with the usual ideas about them.

The head and body of the sea cucumber are in most cases inseparable, but some forms of holothurians have noticeable borders that separate the head from the rest of the body. This is a very slow animal that moves by contracting and unclenching. But it spends most of its life just lying on its side, so catching them is quite simple. To a greater extent, trapping consists of searching for an animal, rather than semey catching.

One species of Holothurian is the Giant California Sea Cucumber, an absolutely unique animal. Despite the fact that he has a completely ordinary mouth, he also uses an anus as a mouth. The airways of these animals also located in the anus. Therefore, it turns out that their anus performs three vital functions in the body.

There are cases when these animals reproduced asexually. When one organism was divided, both parts grew the missing parts, resulting in two full-fledged organisms.

Sea cucumber trepang

Trepangs are called part of the species of sea cucumbers that are eaten, there are at least 30 such species. Their catch is carried out mainly off the coast of Japan and the Malay Archipelago, but this is also possible in the Vladivostok region. It is a highly nutritious product that has a high a set of vitamins, proteins, amino acids and nutrients. It is worth noting the very low calorie content of sea cucumbers.

Trepangs include:

• Groups of vitamins A, C, E, PP.
• Fluorine, iron, magnesium, calcium, cobalt, nickel, potassium and many other elements.

Holothuria is considered a healing and restorative natural substance that allows you to quickly get back on your feet after operations or serious illnesses. In oriental medicine, the meat of sea cucumbers has long been used for metabolic problems, to increase blood pressure, with various heart diseases and also for tissue regeneration. It will be useful to take trepang meat for iodine deficiency and endocrine disorders, problems with the thyroid gland.

Sea cucumber has a positive effect on human health, so by including it in your menu, you can prevent many diseases. Also, holothuria will be useful for patients with arthritis, it is different beneficial effect on the joints, some elements from the composition of trepang can eliminate pain and stiffness of the joints.

Not only meat is produced from this mollusk, but also a concentrated extract. Chinese doctors claim that such an extract has the same properties as meat. But also, it significantly increases immunity, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and helps keep the body in the necessary tone. Special recommendations for the use of extracts apply to pensioners and people who suffer from chronic diseases.

But trepang also has contraindications:

• Hyperthyroidism.
• Hypertension, the substance increases blood pressure.
• Not recommended for children under 15 years of age.
• Seafood intolerance.

Trepang cooking

There should be no problems with the preparation of these mollusks, it is not difficult.

You should start with the preparation of the dried product, while it is thoroughly washed until there is no trace of the black powder. Then it is left to soak in water, the water needs to be changed from time to time. After that his boiled for 3 hours. If the trepang is fresh, it is washed and boiled for 2-3 hours until the meat is soft. Various dishes are prepared from boiled meat.

There are a lot of dishes that can be prepared from trepang. It can be various soups and salads, you can stew it with vegetables, chicken or horseradish, fry it with onions or tomato sauce. Hot sauces are best for clam dishes.

For example, trepang with honey has gained high popularity among lovers of delicacies not only for its taste, but also for its unique beneficial properties for the body.

If the product is too dry, it should be soaked for several days. Readiness for cooking in this case is determined by the purity of the water during washing, if the water is completely clean, you can start cooking.

Dry sea cucumber storage conditions are standard: a dark and cool place, without access to sunlight. A cooked or fresh product can be placed in the freezer, but if it spends more than 2 months there, it will lose its healing properties.

Japanese chefs cook trepang raw. Having previously cleaned and washed it, cut it into pieces and pour it with vinegar or sauce.

Recently, canned sea cucumber products have gained popularity, many global companies have already launched the conveyor production of canned trepang. To do this, they even began to artificially breed it on special farms.

At first glance, it is difficult to assume that trepang is edible; for some, it may even seem disgusting in appearance. But on closer examination, it turns out very useful product, which will help bring the body into tone, warn against various diseases. Finally, it can become just a tasty and satisfying dinner, while being a dietary product.

Irina Kamshilina

Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than for yourself))

Content

Marine fauna is rich in various living organisms, many of which are eaten. One of them is the sea cucumber (holothuria), the class of which includes more than 1000 species. They differ in appearance (in size, color, body length, etc.), and some are even used for cooking. Mollusks have a number of useful medicinal properties, and medicines are even made from the holothurian extract.

What is sea cucumber

Such a representative of the fauna as a sea cucumber is a class of invertebrates, such as echinoderms. They are also called sea-pods and holothurians. The sea cucumber looks like a large oblong worm or caterpillar. Depending on the species, the body of these molluscs is smooth or rough (with short and long growths). By color, holothurians are red, green, gray, brown and black. Their size varies from 0.5 cm to 5 m. Holothuria can be found both in deep depressions and in the coastal part of the ocean, and more often near coral reefs.

lifestyle

The marine animal feeds on plankton or organic debris, which it extracts from the bottom sand and passes through the digestive system. Some species of holothurians possess tentacles used to filter the food they find. Mollusks lead a sedentary lifestyle, spending most of the time on one side, raising their mouth opening. Animals crawl very slowly, sometimes contracting, sometimes stretching.

Holothurian species

Today, the holothurian class includes about 1150 species of animals that differ in size, weight, color, body structure, and habitat. Sea urchins and stars are the closest relatives of holothurians. There are more than 100 species of such mollusks in Russia, but the Far Eastern sea cucumber and cucumaria, which are used in the preparation of tasty and healthy treats, are the most popular.

Useful properties of holothuria

Representatives of sea cucumbers have many useful properties due to dietary sterile meat, devoid of viruses and various diseases, but rich in iodine, calcium, phosphorus, amino acids, iron, copper, nickel, chlorine, vitamins of groups B, C. The calorie content of the mollusk is only 35 kcal per 100 g. Scientists note the following points of the therapeutic effect of holothuria on the human body:

• decrease in blood pressure;
• stimulation of the heart muscle;
• acceleration of tissue renewal;
• normalization of metabolic processes;
• getting rid of bradycardia, tachycardia;
• arthritis treatment, joint pain relief;
• strengthening immunity;
• improving the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

The use of sea cucumber in food

It is not difficult to cook trepang, the main thing is to carry out a number of activities for the preliminary preparation of the mollusk. First, it is thoroughly washed until the black powder is completely gone. Next, the carcass is soaked in water, which changes several times, and then boiled for at least 3 hours. The Japanese prefer to eat delicacy holothurian meat raw, because this way it retains more nutrients.

Many different tasty snacks are prepared from trepang, it is fried, boiled, dried, and canned from the mollusk. Mollusk meat is used as the main ingredient in some soups and meatballs. Experienced chefs say that holothurium must be cooked with other products that have a pronounced aroma that absorb unpleasant odors. The meat of the sea egg should not be eaten by pregnant women, lactating women, children, allergy sufferers, people with hyperthyroidism.

Sea cucumber recipes

Sea-pod as a food item is often used in Asian cuisine. For the preparation of seafood, different methods of heat treatment are used. You can buy shellfish at major grocery stores and make it into a dish full of healthy vitamins and minerals. If you don't know how to cook trepang, use the detailed photo tutorials to learn how to properly peel, prepare, and cook sea cucumber.

Trepang scraper

• Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Number of servings: 8 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 154 kcal per 100 g.
• Difficulty: easy.

One of the dishes of old Russian cuisine that has been forgotten is skoblyanka. It was prepared from potatoes, mushrooms and vegetables, but in the Far East, mushrooms were replaced with sea cucumber meat. This mollusk contains vitamins and microminerals much more than in fish, so the beneficial properties of the skewers are very high. If you purchased fresh trepang, then you must first gut it, rinse it, then boil it twice for half an hour, or water. Then change the water again and cook the clam for about 2 hours.

Ingredients:

• trepang - 6 pcs.;
• pork - 0.5 kg;
• onions - 3 pcs.;
• carrots, tomatoes - 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil - 50 ml;
• tomato paste - 1 tbsp. l.;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• greens - 0.5 bunch;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the seafood into strips, fry in a cauldron for about 15 minutes, then add the pork chopped in the same way.
2. While seafood with meat is fried, chop onion into half rings and carrots into thin strips. Add to meat, seafood. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Chop the tomato into small cubes, add to the cauldron, salt, pepper, mix.
4. Pour ½ tbsp. water, simmer on low heat under the lid for 15 minutes.
5. Squeeze the garlic, chop and add the greens, mix, remove from heat.

sea ​​cucumber with honey

• Time: 16 days.
• Number of servings: 200 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 496 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: medicine.
• Difficulty: easy.

Trepang on honey is used as a means of alternative medicine used for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. The tincture recipe appeared in China, and is famous for the following properties: eliminating inflammation, stimulating tissue regeneration, slowing down the development of cancerous tumors, improving the functioning of the endocrine system, restoring vision, removing toxins, toxins, removing cholesterol plaques, etc. Take the finished extract, 1 tsp each. . half an hour before meals twice a day for a month.

Ingredients:

• dried trepang - 100 g;
• alcohol (40%) - 1 l;
• honey - 1 kg.

Cooking method:

1. Pour dried seafood with water so that the liquid completely covers the product, leave for a day, and then grind (you can pass through a meat grinder).
2. Mix the crushed sea cucumber with alcohol, leave to infuse for 15 days in a dark, dry, cool place, shaking occasionally.
3. Combine the finished tincture with honey, mix thoroughly.

Trepang with rice

• Time: 1.5 hours.
• Number of servings: 6 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 171 kcal per 100 g.
• Purpose: for breakfast, lunch, dinner.
• Difficulty: easy.

Housewives who are looking for options on how to cook trepang should try the recipe with rice and soy sauce. The dish is not only tasty, but also satisfying. Tomatoes, declared in the list of products, it is better to peel them, after dousing with boiling water and making an incision in the area of ​​​​the stalk. In addition to curry spices, you can add others at your discretion.

Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea (holothurians). These are marine animals with a leathery shell and an elongated body containing a single branched gonad. Sea cucumbers live on the seabed. The number of holothurian species worldwide is about 1717, with the largest number found in the Asia-Pacific region. Many are harvested for human consumption and some species are raised in aquaculture systems. The collected product is called differently - trepang, bêche-de-mer or balat. Sea cucumbers play an important role in the marine ecosystem as they help recycle nutrients, break down detritus and other organic matter, after which bacteria can continue the decay process. Like all echinoderms, just under the skin, sea cucumbers have an endoskeleton, a calcified structure that usually regenerates to isolated microscopic ossicles (or sclerietes) bound by connective tissue. In some species, they can sometimes be enlarged into flattened plates, forming a protective covering. In pelagic species such as Pelagothuria natatrix (order Elasipodida, family Pelagothuriidae), the skeleton and calcium ring are absent. Sea cucumbers are so named because of their resemblance to cucumber fruits.

Review

Most sea cucumbers, as their name suggests, have a soft and cylindrical body, more or less elongated, rounded and sometimes fuller at the limbs and usually without hard appendages. Their shape ranges from nearly spherical in "sea apples" (genus Pseudocolochirus) to serpentine in Apodida, or the classic sausage shape, while others are caterpillar-like. "The mouth is surrounded by tentacles that can retract into the animal." Holothurians are usually 10 to 30 centimeters in length, however, there are species as small as a few millimeters (Rhabdomolgus ruber) and up to more than 3 meters in length (Synapta maculate). The largest American species, Holothuria floridana, which is found in abundance just below the low water mark on the reefs of Florida, has a borehole volume of more than 500 cubic centimeters and a length of 25-30 cm. Most of them have five rows of tubular legs, except for the Apodida species, which crawls ; the legs may be smooth or with fleshy appendages (eg Thelenota ananas). The legs on the dorsal surface usually do not serve for movement and turn into papillae. A rounded mouth opens at one end, usually surrounded by a crown of tentacles, which can be very complex in some species (and are in fact modified legs); anus - posterior. Holothurians do not look like other echinoderms at first glance, due to their tubular body, with no visible skeleton or rigid appendages. In addition, the five-fold symmetry, classical for echinoderms, although structurally preserved, is doubled here by a bilateral symmetry that makes them similar to chordates. However, central symmetry is still seen in some species across five "radii" that extend from mouth to anus (just like sea urchins) to which tubular legs are attached. Thus, these animals do not have any "front" or "dorsal" face, as in starfish and other echinoderms, but the animal stands on one of its sides, and this face is called a trivium (with three rows of tubular legs), and the dorsal face called bivuum. A remarkable feature of these animals is the “trapping” collagen that forms the wall of their body. It can loosen and tighten at will, and if an animal wants to squeeze through a small gap, it can compress its body substantially. To keep itself safe in these crevices and cracks, the sea cucumber uses all of its collagen fibers to harden its body again. The most common way the subclasses are separated is by the sight of their oral tentacles. The order Apodida has a thin and elongated body without tubular legs, up to 25 simple or pinnate oral tentacles. Aspidochirotida are the most common sea cucumbers with a strong body and 10-30 leaf-like or shield-like oral tentacles. Dendrochirotida are biofilter feeders with chubby bodies and 8-30 branched oral tentacles (which can be extremely long and complex).

Anatomy

Sea cucumbers are typically 10 to 30 cm long, although the smallest known species is only 3 mm long and the largest can reach up to three meters. The body can be either nearly spherical or worm-like, without legs, like many other echinoderms such as the starfish. The anterior end of the animal, containing the mouth, corresponds to the oral pole of other echinoderms (which, in most cases, is the lower part), and the posterior end, containing the anus, corresponds to the dorsal pole. Thus, compared to other echinoderms, sea cucumbers can be said to lie on one side.

body structure

The body of the holothurian is roughly cylindrical. It is radially symmetrical along the longitudinal axis and has weak bilateral symmetry transversely with the dorsal and ventral surfaces. Like other echinozoans, holothurians have five ambulacras separated by five ambulacral grooves, mezambulacra. There are four rows of pedicles in the ambulacral grooves, but they are smaller or absent in some holothurians, especially on the dorsal surface. Two dorsal ambulacra make up the bivium, and three ventral ones make up the trivium. At the anterior end, the mouth is surrounded by a ring of tentacles that usually retract into the mouth. These are modified tubular legs that can be simple, branched, or tree-like. They are known as the proboscis and have an inner ring of large calcium ossicles at the back. Five bands of muscles are attached to them, passing inside longitudinally along the ambulacra. There are also circular muscles, the contraction of which causes the animal to lengthen and the trunk to expand. In front of the bones lie further muscles, the contraction of which causes the trunk to retract. The body wall is composed of epidermis and dermis and contains smaller calcified ossicles, the types of which are characteristics that help identify different species. Inside the body wall is a secondary cavity divided by three longitudinal mesenteries that surround and support the internal organs.

Digestive system

Behind the mouth is the pharynx, surrounded by a ring of ten calcified plates. In most sea cucumbers, this is the only important part of the skeleton, and it constitutes the attachment point for the muscles that can retract the tentacles into the body for security, as is the case for the main muscles of the body wall. Many species have an esophagus and stomach, but in some the pharynx opens directly into the intestines. The intestine is usually long and coiled, and passes three times through the body to the cloacular chamber or directly to the anus.

Nervous system

Sea cucumbers do not have a real brain. A ring of nerve tissue surrounds the mouth and directs nerves to the tentacles and pharynx. The animal, however, is quite capable of functioning and moving if the nerve ring is surgically removed, suggesting that this ring does not play a central role in neural coordination. In addition, five major nerves run from the nerve ring down the length of the body under each of the ambulacral areas. Most sea cucumbers do not have distinct sensory organs, although they do have various nerve endings scattered across the skin, giving the animal a sense of touch and sensitivity to the presence of light. However, there are a few exceptions; members of the order Apodida are known to have statocysts, while some species possess small eyespots near the bases of their tentacles.

Respiratory system

Sea cucumbers extract oxygen from the water in a pair of "respiratory trees" that branch into a cloaca just inside the anus, so they "breathe" by drawing in water through the anus and then expelling it. Trees consist of a series of narrow tubules branching from a common duct, and are located on either side of the digestive tract. Gas exchange occurs through the thin walls of the tubules, into and out of the cavity of the main body. Together with the intestines, the respiratory trees also act as excretory organs, with nitrogenous wastes spreading along the walls of the tubules in the form of ammonia and phagocytic coelomocytes, which deposit particulate wastes.

Circulatory systems

Like all echinoderms, sea cucumbers have both an ambulacral system that provides hydraulic pressure to the tentacles and tubular legs that allow them to move, and a hemal system. The latter is more complex than in other echinoderms, and consists of well-developed vessels, as well as open sinuses. The central gemmal ring surrounds the pharynx next to the annular canal of the ambulacral system and sends additional vessels along the radial canals under the ambulacral areas. In larger species, additional vessels run above and below the intestine and are connected by over a hundred small muscle ampullae, acting like miniature hearts, pumping blood around the hemal system. Additional vessels surround the water lungs, although they only connect them indirectly through the coelomic fluid. In fact, the blood itself is essentially identical to the coelomic fluid that directly bathes the organs and also fills the ambulacral system. Phagocytic coelomocytes, somewhat similar in function to vertebrate leukocytes, form within the hemal vessels and travel throughout the body cavity, as well as to both circulatory systems. An additional form of coelomocytes not found in other echinoderms has a flattened, disc-shaped appearance and contains hemoglobin. As a result, in many (though not all) species, blood and coelomic fluid are red. High concentrations of vanadium have been found in the blood of holothurians, however, the researchers were unable to reproduce these results.

Motor organs

Like all echinoderms, sea cucumbers have pentaradial symmetry. However, due to their body position, they have secondarily developed some degree of bilateral symmetry. For example, since one side of the body is usually pressed against the surface and the other is not, there is usually a difference between the two surfaces (except in the Apodida species). Like sea urchins, most sea cucumbers have five striped ambulacral regions running the length of the body from the mouth to the anus. The three ambulacral areas on the undersurface have numerous tubular legs, often with suction cups, that allow the animal to crawl; they are called the trivium. Two areas on the upper surface have underdeveloped or rudimentary tubular legs, and some species have no tubular legs at all; this face is called bivium. In some species, the ambulacral areas can no longer be distinguished, with the tubular legs extending over a much wider area of ​​the body. Apodida species do not have tubular legs or ambulacral areas at all, and they move by muscular contractions of the body, like worms, however, five ray lines usually run along their body. Even sea cucumbers, which do not have the usual tubular legs, have legs around their mouths. They are modified into contractile tentacles much larger than tubular legs for locomotion. Depending on the species, sea cucumbers have ten to thirty of these tentacles, and they can take on a wide variety of shapes depending on the animal's diet and other factors. Many sea cucumbers have papillae, conical, fleshy protrusions of the body wall with sensory tubular legs at the tops. They can even develop into long, antenna-like structures, especially in the abyssal genus Scotoplanes.

Endoskeleton

Echinoderms usually have an internal skeleton made up of plates of calcium carbonate. However, in most sea cucumbers, these plates have shrunk to microscopic pits under the skin. Several genera, such as Sphaerothuria, retain relatively large blades.

Life history and behavior

Habitat

Sea cucumbers are found in large numbers in the depths of the sea, where they often make up the majority of animal biomass. At depths greater than 8.9 km, sea cucumbers make up 90% of the total macrofauna. Sea cucumbers form large herds that move through the deep expanses of the ocean, hunting for food. The body of some deep-sea holothurians, such as Enypniastes eximia, Peniagone leander, and Paelopatides confundens, is composed of a tough, gelatinous tissue with unique properties that allows the animals to control their buoyancy, allowing them to either live on the ocean floor, actively swim, or move to new places. Holothurians appear to be the best adapted echinoderms to extreme depths and are still very common at depths greater than 5,000 m. (in particular, Myriotrochus bruuni) live at a depth of up to 10687 meters. In shallower waters, sea cucumbers can form dense populations. The New Zealand strawberry sea cucumber (Squamocnus brevidentis) lives on rocky cliffs along the south coast of the South Island, where populations sometimes reach densities of 1,000 animals per square metre. For this reason, one such area in Fiordland is called "strawberry fields".

Movement

Some abyssal species in the abyssal order Elasipodida have evolved to "benthopelagic" behavior: their body is almost as dense as the water around them, so they can make long (up to 1000 m) jumps before slowly sinking to the ocean floor. Most of them have specific swimming appendages, such as an umbrella (eg Enypniastes) or a long protrusion on the body (Psychropotes). Only one species is known to be a true, completely pelagic species that never approaches the bottom - Pelagothuria natatrix.

Diet

Holothurians are generally scavengers, feeding on debris in the benthic zone of the ocean. Exceptions are some pelagic cucumbers and Rynkatorpa pawsoni species, which have a symbiotic relationship with deep-sea monkfish. The diet of most sea cucumbers consists of plankton and decaying organic matter found in the sea. Some sea cucumbers catch food that flows near their exposed tentacles. They also sift through sediment using their tentacles. Other species may burrow into the bottom mud or sand until they are completely underground. They then squeeze out their feeding tentacles, ready to slip away at any sign of danger. In the South Pacific, sea cucumbers can be found at a density of 40 individuals per square meter. These populations can handle 19 kilograms of sediment per square meter per year. The shape of the tentacles is usually adapted to the diet and the size of the particles eaten: biofilter feeders generally have complex arborescent tentacles designed to maximize the surface area available for filtration, while substrate feeding species most often need finger-like tentacles for sorting. nutrient material; detrital species that live in fine sand or mud most often need shorter "toothed" tentacles that are shaped like buckets. One individual can swallow more than 45 kg of sediment per year. The outstanding digestive abilities of sea cucumbers allow them to forego a finer, cleaner and more uniform sediment. Therefore, sea cucumbers play an important role in the biological treatment of the seabed (bioturbation, blowing, homogenization of the substrate, etc.).

Communication

Sea cucumbers communicate with each other by transmitting hormonal signals through the water. The main goal of communication is reproduction; otherwise, individuals tend to ignore each other. Sea cucumbers are not territorial. Some species, including abyssal species such as porpoises (Scotoplanes globosa), may live in groups.

Reproduction

Most sea cucumbers reproduce by releasing sperm and eggs into the ocean water. Depending on conditions, one organism can produce thousands of gametes. Sea cucumbers are generally dioecious, with separate male and female organisms, but some species are protandrous. The reproductive system consists of a single gonad, consisting of a cluster of tubules draining into a single canal that opens on the upper surface of the animal, next to the tentacles. At least 30 species, including Pseudocnella insolens, fertilize their eggs internally and then pick up the fertilized zygote with one of their tentacles. The egg is then inserted into a pouch on the adult's body, where the fetus develops and eventually hatches from the pouch. Several species are known to breed in body cavities and give birth through a small tear in the body wall, near the anus.

Development

In all other species, the egg develops into a free-swimming larva, usually after about three days of development. The first stage of larval development is known as the auricularia (the larva is about 1 mm long). Such a larva swims with the help of a long strip of cilia wrapped around its body, and somewhat resembles a bipinnaria (starfish larva). As the larva grows, it develops into a doliolaria with a barrel-shaped body and three to five distinct rings of cilia. "Pentacularia" is the third larval stage of the sea cucumber, in which the tentacles appear. The tentacles are usually the first adult features to appear in front of the normal tubular legs.

Symbiosis and commensalism

Predators and defense mechanisms

Marine predators often refuse to eat sea cucumbers because of the toxins they contain (particularly holothurin), and because of their impressive defense mechanisms. However, they remain prey to some highly specialized predators that are not affected by their toxins, such as the large clams Tonna galea and Tonna perdix, which paralyze sea cucumbers using powerful venom before swallowing them whole. Some other, less specialized and opportunistic predators may also prey on sea cucumbers if they cannot find better food, such as certain types of fish (trigger fish, pufferfish) and crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, hermit crabs). Some species of coral sea cucumbers in the order Aspidochirotida can defend themselves by expelling their sticky Cuvier tubules (extensions of aquatic lungs that float freely in the coelom) to entangle potential predators. When frightened, sea cucumbers may expel some of the ducts through a tear in the cesspool wall in an autonomous process known as devastation. Replaceable tubules grow back within one and a half to five weeks, depending on the species. The release of these tubules can also be accompanied by the release of a toxic chemical known as holothurin, which has soap-like properties. This chemical can kill animals in the area and is another method of protecting sea cucumbers.

Aestivation

If the water temperature gets too high, some types of sea cucumber from temperate seas may go into hibernation. While they are in this dormant state, they stop eating, their intestines atrophy, their metabolism slows down, and they lose weight. The body returns to its normal state when conditions improve.

Phylogeny and classification

Holothurians do not have a skeleton, unlike other echinoderms, and their classification is more complex, and their paleontological phylogeny relies on a number of well-preserved specimens. Modern taxonomy is based primarily on the presence or shape of some soft parts (legs, lungs, tentacles) to identify the main orders and, secondly, on microscopic examination of the bones to determine the genus and species. Modern genetic methods have greatly contributed to the development of the classification of these animals. Taxonomic classification, according to the World Register of Marine Species:

Detachment Apodida (Brandt, 1835)

Family Chiridotidae (Östergren, 1898)

Family Myriotrochidae (Théel, 1877)

Family Synaptidae (Burmeister, 1837)

Detachment Aspidochirotida (Grube, 1840)

Family Holothuriidae (Burmeister, 1837)

Family Mesothuriidae (Smirnov, 2012)

Family Stichopodidae (Haeckel, 1896)

Family Synallactidae (Ludwig, 1894)

Detachment Dendrochirotida (Grube, 1840)

Family Cucumariidae (Ludwig, 1894)

Family Cucumellidae (Thandar and Arumugam, 2011)

Family Heterothyonidae (Pawson, 1970)

Family Paracucumidae (Pawson and Fell, 1965)

Family Phyllophoridae (Östergren, 1907)

Family Placothuriidae (Pawson & Fell, 1965)

Family Psolidae (Burmeister, 1837)

Family Rhopalodinidae (Théel, 1886)

Family Sclerodactylidae (Panning, 1949)

Family Vaneyellidae (Pawson and Fell, 1965)

Family Ypsilothuriidae (Heding, 1942)

Detachment Elasipodida (Théel, 1882)

Family Deimatidae (Théel, 1882)

Family Elpidiidae (Théel, 1882)

Family Laetmogonidae (Ekman, 1926)

Family Pelagothuriidae (Ludwig, 1893)

Family Psychropotidae (Théel, 1882)

Detachment Molpadida (Haeckel, 1896)

Family Caudinidae (Heding, 1931)

Family Eupyrgidae (Semper, 1867)

Family Gephyrothuriidae (Koehler & Vaney, 1905)

Family Molpadiidae (Müller, 1850)

Holothurians: use in cooking and medicine

To meet market demand in South China, Makassar trepang fishermen trade with Indigenous Australians from Arnhem Land. This is the first recorded example of trade between the inhabitants of the Australian continent and their Asian neighbors. There are many commercially important types of sea cucumber that are harvested and dried for export for use in Chinese cuisine. Some of the more commonly found species in markets include:

Holothuria nobilis

Thelenota ananas

Actinopyga echinites

Actinopyga palauensis

Holothuria scabra

Holothuria fuscogilva

Actinopyga mauritiana

Stichius japonicus

Apostichopus californicus

Acaudina molpadioides

Isostichopus fuscus

Sea cucumber as food

Sea cucumbers are marine animals of the Holothuroidea class. They are used in fresh or dried form in various cuisines around the world. In some cultural contexts, the sea cucumber is considered to have medicinal value. The animal and food itself is commonly referred to as bêche-de-mer in French, from Portuguese "bicho do mar" (literally "sea worm"), trepang (or tripang) in Indonesian, namako in Japanese, balatan in Tagalog, and loli in the Hawaiian Islands. In Malay, sea cucumber is known as gamate. In most cultures in East and Southeast Asia, sea cucumbers are considered a delicacy. Sea cucumber is used in a number of dishes. Common ingredients used in sea cucumber dishes include wax melon, dried scallop, kai-lan, shiitake, and bok choy.

Culinary use

In cooking, the fresh and dried form of the sea cucumber is used, although it is difficult to prepare due to the fact that it is completely tasteless. The Suiyuan shidan, the Qing Dynasty Chinese gastronomy manual, states: “As an ingredient, sea cucumbers have little taste, are full of sand, and have a strong fishy smell. For these reasons, it is difficult to cook them deliciously.” Much of the preparation of a sea cucumber for consumption involves peeling and boiling it, then stewing it in meat broths and extracts to add flavor to each sea cucumber. According to Chinese folk belief, sea cucumber has a positive effect on male sexual health and is an aphrodisiac, as it physically resembles the phallus and uses a defense mechanism similar to ejaculation, since in case of danger it freezes and pushes a jet of water towards the aggressor. Sea cucumber is also believed to protect against tendinitis and arthritis.

Commercial fee

In recent years, the sea cucumber industry in Alaska has increased due to increased exports of trepang skin and muscle to China. In China, sea cucumbers are commercially sold in artificial ponds. These ponds can be up to 400 hectares and meet most of the local demand. Wild sea cucumbers are harvested by divers and these wild Alaskan sea cucumbers have a higher nutritional value and larger size than farmed Chinese sea cucumbers. The larger size and higher nutritional value has allowed the Alaskan fishery to continue to compete for market share despite increased cultivation of the local, Chinese sea cucumber. One of the oldest fishing activities in Australia is the collection of sea cucumbers by divers from all over the Coral Sea (Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Australia, New Guinea and New Caledonia) in far North Queensland, Torres Strait and Western Australia. In the late 1800s, 400 divers were employed in Cooktown, Queensland to collect sea cucumbers. Overharvesting of sea cucumbers in the Great Barrier Reef threatens their population. Their popularity as a delicacy in Asian countries poses a serious threat to the Aspidochirotida order.

Sea cucumbers > Black sea cucumber = Black sea cucumber = Holothuria atra
The black sea cucumber is a genus Holothurian Holothuria have a long worm-like body. They are widely distributed in the Red Sea. Some specimens can reach significant sizes of 35 - 45 cm. Animals form significant concentrations on coral shallows. The black sea cucumber slowly moves along the bottom and swallows the soil, assimilating the organic particles in it. The Black Sea Cucumber lives for about 10 years. The black sea cucumber is inactive, sometimes covering its body from above with shell fragments or algae. Inside the Black Sea Cucumber, various uninvited guests often find refuge. For example pearl fish Carapus up to 20 cm long lives in the intestines of the holothurian, penetrating there through the anus of the animal. She leaves her shelter only at night, for a short time, to find food. Holothuria does not derive any benefit from such cohabitation, but on the contrary: quite often large fish tear its insides apart. The genus Holothuria has over a hundred species, about a quarter of which are eaten. However, there are also poisonous species. Holothuria atra is a fairly typical worm-shaped holothurian. The color is black or dark brown with large light spots of irregular shape. The black sea cucumber is a sandy bottom dweller.

Article: Sea cucumbers (repeated).

Holothurians differ from other modern echinoderms in their oblong, sometimes worm-like, cucumber-like shape, and also in the absence of protruding spines. To the touch, the body of the sea cucumber is leathery, slimy, sometimes rough and wrinkled. Holothurians live on sandy or rocky seabeds. Holothurians capture food with the help of their tentacles located around the mouth opening. Some holothurians feed by filtering water, but most of them absorb coral sand, releasing organic matter from it. It is estimated that holothurians, "serving" one hectare of the seabed, are able to sift 150 tons of sand per year. Many types of sea cucumbers have unusual defense mechanisms: they throw out their insides, which grow back in a few months. Holothurians are widely distributed throughout the World Ocean and inhabit all depths in seas with oceanic salinity. Along with some species of sea urchins, holothurians of the genus Stichopus and Holothuria play a significant role in the human economy. Some species are eaten under the name "trepang". In the countries of Southeast Asia, they are even grown on special underwater farms. Holothurians are sedentary animals that can often be found underwater. Watching the movement and feeding of holothurians can be a real pleasure. But touching them with your hands without special need is still not worth it. Some types of sea cucumbers, when irritated or frightened, shoot a liquid, contact with which leads to inflammation of the skin or temporary loss of vision if it comes into contact with the eyes. Vadim Savchenko - an underwater photographer and diving instructor in Israel will make you a beautiful scuba dive in Eilat, tell you what flora and fauna are and show where fish and corals live Red Sea and Black sea cucumber.

Sea cucumber

Holothurians, sea pods, sea cucumbers ( Holothuroidea), a class of invertebrates such as echinoderms. Species eaten have a common name "trepang".

The modern fauna is represented by 1150 species, divided into 6 orders, which differ from each other in the shape of tentacles and calcareous ring, as well as the presence of some internal organs. The oldest fossils of holothurians are from the Silurian period.

Biology

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