Identification and some biological characteristics of commercial sea cucumber in the Turkey coast waters

In this study, commercial sea cucumber identification and some biological characteristics were investigated between Ayvalık and Çeşme. Ayvalık, Aliağa, Foça, Şakran and İzmir were selected as main stations. In the investigation where 70 stations were studied between 0 and 50 m depth 6 sea cucumber species were found. These were Holothuria tubulosa, Holothuria polii, Holothuria mammata, Holothuria forskali, Stichopus regalis and Holothuria sanctori. Of these, however, 3 (H.tubulosa, H.polii and H.mammata) are commercially exploited. H.tubulosa and H.polii prefered to live on soft-muddy grounds and edge and space of posidonia meadows area whereas H.mammata was in the cleaner and harder grounds. Sea cucumbers were seen to distribute within the range of 0-20 m depths. A total of 1558 H.polii, 1288 H.tubulosa and 498 H.mammata were collected and measured. The total mean wet weight 46.3 g for H.polii, 83.7 g for H.tubulosa, 109.8 g for H.mammata.