Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) albofusca
Cherbonnier, 1988
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Description
This is species is the most common sea cucumber in Dhofar and yet, it is apparently absent from all other areas. It is distinguished by its unmistakable coloration underwater: a dark brown bivium and a pale, almost white trivium with much darker tube feet. The name specific albofusca means white and brown in Latin. The body wall is rather thin and although the species has Cuvier's tubules, it does not seem to expel them rapidly.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Distribution
Holothuria allbofusca is very common in Dhofar but absent from other communities in Oman.
World wide this species so far was limited to South Africa and Madagascar. This observation in Dhofar extends thus considerably the range of this species.
World wide this species so far was limited to South Africa and Madagascar. This observation in Dhofar extends thus considerably the range of this species.
Enter the name for this tabbed section: Ecology and Biology
H. albofusca seem to prefer either sea-grass beds or accumulation of vegetation found at the lower part of the reef. In Oman, it is found from very shallow (2 m) to much deeper areas of the coral communities in Dhofar, often amongst drifting algae.