Toxopneustes pileolus
(Lamarck, 1816)
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Description
Toxopneustes pileolus is characterized by short spines, surrounded by overdeveloped pedicellaria. Each pedicellaria looks like a little trifoliate flower which can open and close. At the end of each 3 points of the pedicellaria, a gland, compressed when the pedicellaria closes up relases a potent venom. In Northern Oman, T. pileolus is typically orange-pink. In southern Oman, it is much lighter in color.
Almost everywhere, during the day, this species responds to sunlight by covering its test with numerous debris: pieces of stones, bivalve shells, pieces of dead coral, camouflaging the animal on the substrate.
Almost everywhere, during the day, this species responds to sunlight by covering its test with numerous debris: pieces of stones, bivalve shells, pieces of dead coral, camouflaging the animal on the substrate.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Distribution
In Oman, the species is found everywhere corals are found. Its distribution is wide in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and western Pacific Ocean.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Ecology and Biology
The venom contained in each of the three glands of each pedicellaria os pretty potent, however, the injection spines is typically to short to pierce the skin, unless it is very thin as on the inner part of the arm. This species needs to be treated with respect as it is potentially harmful.
The covering behavior is also quite characteristic. Although the exact reason of this behavior remains unclear, it is definitely a response to sunlight. It could be a camouflage adaptation, a protection agains harmful UV light, perhaps a mechanism to facilitate underwater vision.
The covering behavior is also quite characteristic. Although the exact reason of this behavior remains unclear, it is definitely a response to sunlight. It could be a camouflage adaptation, a protection agains harmful UV light, perhaps a mechanism to facilitate underwater vision.