Abstract
The sea cucumbers are primitive marine animals that are widely distributed in the ocean habitats, such as coral reefs, seagrass, rocky, sandy-muddy and sandy habitats. Holothurians are significant nutritional food and therefore many commercial species are harvested across the world. Malaysia is one of the major producers of Holothuroidea that exports both fresh and dried sea cucumbers, “beche-de-mer,” with significant economic value worldwide, providing income to the local fishermen and community living near the coastline. Sea cucumber is a local delicacy that is consumed for its healing properties and general well-being. Holothuroidea are deposit feeders that consume organic matter and microalgae in the sediment using their tentacles. Sea cucumbers are known as ecosystem engineers that play important parts in the marine ecosystem, especially in the mineralization of sediments and nutrient cycling. Their diversity has been described by several researchers from a taxonomic view. In recent years, the rising demand for sea cucumbers in the international market has caused a decline in the wild stocks, so many species are being endangered. The chapter focuses on the general biology and diversity of holothurian species on the west coast of Sabah.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Anderson SC, Flemming JM, Watson R, Lotze HK (2011) Serial exploitation of global sea cucumber fisheries. In: Fish and fisheries, vol 12. Wiley, Hoboken, pp 317–339. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-2979.2010.00397.x
Baine M, Forbes B (1998) The taxonomy and exploitation of sea cucumbers in Malaysia. SPC Inf Bull 10:2–7
Choo PS (2008) Population status, fisheries and trade of sea cucumbers in Asia. In: Toral-Granda V, Lovatelli A, Vasconcellos M (eds) Sea cucumbers. A global review of fisheries and trade. FAO fisheries and aquaculture technical paper no. 516. FAO, Rome, pp 81–118
Choo PS (2012) The sea cucumber fishery in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia. SPC Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin 32
Forbes B, Ilias Z (1999) The taxonomy and ecology of sea cucumbers in Malaysia. SPC Inf Bull 12:5
George JD, George J (1987) The coral reefs of the Bodgaya Islands (Sabah: Malaysia) and Pulau Sipadan 4. Macroinvertebrates. Malay Nat J 40:225–260
Hamel JF, Mercier A, Conand C, Purcell S, Toral-Granda, TG, Gamboa R (2013) Holothuria scabra. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.180257A1606648
Hasmah I, Woo SP, Zulfigar Y, Azizah MN, Tan SH (2012) Molecular taxonomy of sea cucumber (Holothuroidea) in the upper parts of the straits of Malacca inferred from 16S rRNA gene sequences. Thai Nat Hist Mus J 6(1):11–24
Kamarudin KR, Rehan AM, Lukman AL, Ahmad HF, Anua MH, Nordin NFH, Hashim R, Hussin R, Usup G (2009) Coral reef sea cucumbers in Malaysia. Malay J Sci 28(2):171–186
Kamarudin KR, Ridzwan H, Gires U (2010) Phylogeny of sea cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) as inferred from 16S mitochondrial rRNA gene sequences. Sains Malays 39:209–218
Kamarudin KR, Usup G, Hashim R, Mohamed RM (2015) Sea cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) species richness at selected localities in Malaysia. Pertanika J Trop Agric Sci 38(1):7–32
Kaswandi MA, Nor ‘Aini AG, Ridzwan BH (1990) Profil protein dinding timun laut. Malays Biochem Soc Conf 15:132–134
Kaswandi MA, Ridzwan B H, Mohd Nor I, Zainab A, Azman S, Rozali MBO (1995) Timun Laut: analisis Semasa. In: Simposium Sumber Alam Kebangsaan Pertama FSSA. UKM Kampus Sabah, Sabah, vol 33, pp 17–32
Massin C (2007) Redescription of Stichopus naso Semper, 1868 (Echinodermata, Holothuroidea, Stichopodidae). Biologie 77:123–130
Massin C, Zulfigar Y, Tan SHA, Rizal Boss SZ (2002) The genus Stichopus (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from the Johore Marine Park (Malaysia) with the description of two new species. Biologie 72:73–99
Minami K, Masuda R, Takahashi K, Sawada H, Shirakawa H, Yamashita Y (2019) Seasonal and interannual variation in the density of visible Apostichopus japonicus (Japanese sea cucumber) in relation to sea water temperature. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 229:106384
Peet RK (1974) The measurement of species diversity. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 5:285–307
Purcell SW, Samyn Y, Conand C (2012). Commercially important sea cucumbers of the world. FAO species catalogue for fishery purposes no 6. FAO, Rome, p 150
Ridzwan BH (1993) Sumber makanan persisiran laut Sabah. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur
Ridzwan BH, Che Bashah CC (1985) Tinjauan awal taburan dan penilaian holothurian di beberapa kawasan perairan Sabah sebagai sumber pemakanan. SUMBER I:143–155
Ridzwan BH (1987) Kajian holothurian di perairan cetek Sabah: nilai pemakanan, kandungan lumen usus dan tumbesaran. In: Biologi Untuk Industri, Noraini M, et al. UKM Publisher, Bangi, pp 339–369
Ridzwan BH, Kaswandi MA (1995) Hidupan marin intertidal: makanan tambahan penduduk daerah Semporna. Malays J Nutr 1:105–114
Ridzwan BH, Kaswandi MA, Dayang Fredalina B, Haniza B (1995) A brief look into current research on sea cucumbers in Malaysia. In: JSPS-VCC joint seminar on marine science. Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), 5–8 December 1995
Ridzwan BH, Haniza BH, Dayang Fredalina B, Kaswandi MA, Norlida AL, Suhaina S, Zali BI, Mohd. Nor H (1996) A brief insight into current research on sea cucumber of Malaysia. In: Joint seminar by UKM-Universitas Hassanudin, Dinamika Perkembangan Kebaharian Masyarakat Indonesia dan Malaysia, Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi, 10–12 September 1996
Ridzwan BH, Shukri HI, Fadhil MH, Noor Ibrahim MS, Kaswandi MA, Hawa I, Jamaludin, M, Rozali MBO, Mohd Nor BH, Zali, BI (1998) The species distribution of sea cucumbers in Malaysia. In: Malaysia Science and Technology Congress ‘98, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 23–25 November 1998
Rohayat A, Destiani S, Nurjaman S, Ardiana C, Nawawi I (2021) Sea cucumber ecology Holothuroidea studies in the Sancang marine preserve. IOP Conf Ser Mater Sci Eng 1098:052040. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1098/5/052040
Sim YK, Tan SH, Zulfigar Y, Wong WS, Chai J, Ng BW, Luar L (2008) The diversity and distribution of Holothuroidea in Pulau Aur, Johor. In: Research and information series of Malaysian coast 2. Pusat Penyelidikan Ekosistem Marin (EKOMAR), UKM, pp 13–22
Sim YK, Tan SH, Zulfigar Y (2009) The diversity and abundance of the sea cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) from the archipelagos of Beting Patinggi Ali, Beting Raja Jarom and Pulau Layang–Layang, South China Sea. In: 6th IMT-GT UNINET conference 2008: sustaining natural resources towards enhancing the quality of life within the IMT-GT zone. Penang: The Gurney Resort Hotel, 25–30 August 2008, pp 357–360
Siti ZRS, Zulfigar Y, Aileen TSH (1999) Species of sea cucumber found in Pulau Besar, Johor, with special emphasis on the genus Stichopus. SPC Inf Bull 12:4
Sun C, Huang D, Xu Q et al (2022) Diverse habitat preferences of two sea cucumber species and the seasonal change in a coral reef area. J Oceanol Limnol 40:1578–1591. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-021-1254-z
Sunmugam T, Azhari H, Ng SF, Azmi F (2021) Influence of the oil phase on the wound healing activity of sea cucumber extract-based cream formulations. Sains Malays 50(3):839–847
Tuwo A, Yasir I, Bestari AD, Yanti A, Aprianto R, Tresnati J (2021) High salinity effect on mortality of sandfish Holothuria scabra. IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci 763:012019. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/763/1/012019
Woodby D, Smiley S, Larson R (2000) Depth and habitat distribution of Parastichopus californicus near Sitka, Alaska. Alsk Fish Res Bull 7:22–32
Xing L, Sun L, Liu S, Zhang L, Yang H (2021) Comparative metabolomic analysis of the body wall from four varieties of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. Food Chem 352:129339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129339
Zaidnuddin I (2002) Sea cucumber species diversity and abundance from the south–western waters of Balik Pulau, Penang. In: Choo PS, Ismail I, Chee PE, Chuah TT (eds) Workshop on the impact of development on the coastal fisheries off south–west Penang Island, Malaysia. Fisheries Research Institute, Penang, Malaysia, pp 57–62
Zaidnuddin I, Forbes R (2000) Sea cucumbers of Pulau Payar, Kedah Marine Park Islands. In: Ali A, Arshad MA, Ilias Z, Mohd Sah SA (eds) Proceedings of National Symposium on Pulau Payar Marine Park, pp 174–177
Zulfigar Y, Tan SH (1999) Biodiversity of sea cucumber in the lower part of The South China Sea. In: The joint seminar on marine and fisheries sciences. Melaka, Malaysia, 1–3 December 1999, pp 73–82
Zulfigar Y, Tan SH, Fujita T, Terazaki M (2000) The distribution of sea cucumber associated with seagrass beds found in The South China Sea. In: The 11th JSPS joint seminar on marine science, pp 362–368
Zulfigar Y, Sim YK, Tan SH (2007) The distribution of sea cucumbers in Pulau Aur, Johore, Malaysia. In: Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Special Publication Series Volume 8 (from Selected Paper of NaGISA World Congress 2006). Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Field Science Education and Research Centre, Kyoto University, pp 73–86
Zulfigar Y, Sim YK, Tan SH, Shirayama Y (2008) Field guide to the echinoderms (sea cucumber and sea stars) of Malaysia. The Nippon Foundation/Kyoto University Press, Japan, p 130
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the staff the of Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, for their assistance directly and indirectly during the sampling and laboratory work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Abdul Kadar, N.B., Rosli, N.S.B., Muzli, S.S.B. (2023). Sea Cucumber (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) Species Diversity on the West Coast of Sabah, Malaysia. In: Shah, M.D., Ransangan, J., Venmathi Maran, B.A. (eds) Marine Biotechnology: Applications in Food, Drugs and Energy. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0624-6_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0624-6_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-99-0623-9
Online ISBN: 978-981-99-0624-6
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)