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Phyllophorus parvipedes Clark, 1914
| Family Name: | Phyllophoridae |
| Taxonomic Group: | Invertebrates (Echinoderm) |
| Common Name: | Tennis-ball Sea Cucumber |
Name
Ecology, Habitat & Location
| Ecological Notes | Lives in large aggregations in sandy mud near the low tide mark at Changi beach. Individuals are usually partly buried and attached by their tube feet to buried stones or a layer of gravel. The branching tentacles are extended for feeding on particulate organic matter suspended in the water column. |
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| Habitats | Marine |
| Distribution | In Singapore waters known only from Changi beach. Picture shows P. spiculata. |
Conservation
| Trends & Threats | Further land reclamation projects at Changi would probably eliminate populations of this sea cucumber. Although the species is common elsewhere, it has a very localised distribution in Singapore and is consequently very vulnerable. |
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| Scientific Interest & Potential Value | Extracts from this sea cucumber are reputed to be of medicinal value as a post-natal treatment and for the treatment of wounds. |
| Conservation Notes | Abundant at Changi village, subtidally near the low water mark but, since the distribution is very localized, this species is potentially vulnerable to local extirpation. Retention as part of Singapore’s marine biodiversity would require setting aside and conserving a significant section of the foreshore at Changi Point. |
Status
| Singapore Red Data Book Status | Vulnerable (VU) [2008] |
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Photos
References
| References | Davison, G.W.H., Ng, P.K.L. & Ho, H.C (Eds.). 2008. The Singapore Red Data Book (2nd Edition). Singapore: Nature Society (Singapore). 285pp |
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