Marine
Science
UH Hilo
Contributors:
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Marta deMaintenon (compiler)
Matt Barton
Nancy Chaney
John Coney
Jon Bjornen
Phil Lo Cicero
Asteropsis carinifera (Lamarck, 1816)
This is the commonest local sea star you’ll never see. They vary in
color and get to about 18 cm across although they’re typically
much smaller. They are nocturnal and more or less omnivorous,
so if you have one in an aquarium you’ll never see it.
Photo by
Phil Lo Cicero
ECHINODERMATA
ASTEROIDEA
ASTEROPSEIDAE
Acanthaster planci (Linnaeus, 1758)
This is the scourge of local reefs, a large corallivorous sea star
that can in some places occur in vast numbers. The spines are
toxic.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ASTEROIDEA
ACANTHASTERIDAE
Linckia guildingi Gray, 1840
These stars have long, cylindrical arms and are commonly
regrowing one or more of them. They commonly reproduce
asexually that way.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ASTEROIDEA
OPHIDIASTERIDAE
Linckia multifora (Lamarck, 1816)
Spotted Linckia have red or maroon spots.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ASTEROIDEA
OPHIDIASTERIDAE
Culcita novaeguineae (Müller & Troschel, 1842)
Cushion stars are also corallivores, ~25 cm across.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ASTEROIDEA
OREASTERIDAE
Pentaceraster cumingi (Gray, 1840)
This is a large deep water star, up to 30cm diameter.
Photo by John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ASTEROIDEA
OREASTERIDAE
Ophiocoma erinaceus Müller &Troschel, 1842
This is our common local basic black brittle star, size to about 10
cm arm length. By night they are paler and banded as shown
here. Brittle stars ‘see’ using exoskeletal prisms in their arms and
light sensitive nerves.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
OPHIUROIDEA
OPHIOCOMIDAE
Ophionereis porrecta Lyman, 1861
This species has incredibly long, thin arms, and a disc about 2 cm
wide. Their brown pattern helps them blend in to the bottom well.
Photo by
Phil Lo Cicero
ECHINODERMATA
OPHIUROIDEA
OPHIONEREIDIDAE
Brittle star sp.
This little brittle star from Onekahakaha has been isolated in a
water drop so it would stay in one place; it’s central disk is about
2mm wide. This species is very common in nearshore habitats.
ECHINODERMATA
OPHIUROIDEA
Brittle star sp.
Another very active brittle star in a water drop; it’s central disk is
about 2.5 mm wide. Found at Laupahoehoe.
ECHINODERMATA
OPHIUROIDEA
Brittle star sp.
This white brittle star has short arms and is rather slow-moving;
it’s central disk is about 2mm wide. Also from Laupahoehoe.
ECHINODERMATA
OPHIUROIDEA
Brittle star sp.
This brittle star was smaller than the rest, with a central disk about
1 mm wide. Found at Laupahoehoe.
ECHINODERMATA
OPHIUROIDEA
Chondrocidaris gigantea A. Agassiz, 1863
This is a large cidaroid (primitive) urchin with rough spines
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
CIDARIDAE
Eucidaris metularia (Lamarck, 1816)
This is a smaller cidaroid, common under nearshore rocks. The
spines in this species are longitudinally grooved/ beaded and
banded, and the test is up to 2 or 3 cm in diameter.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
CIDARIDAE
Diadema paucispinum
(Agassiz, 1863)
Diadematids are hollow-spined
urchins, and the secondary
spines are toxic. This is the
long-spined (or few-spined)
urchin. They can be recognized
by the black primary spines
several times the test diameter.
They are typically found on
vertical walls, usually in deeper
water.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
DIADEMATIDAE
Echinothrix calamaris (Pallas, 1774)
This is the banded urchin. They can be recognized by the green
secondary spines in young animals. Primary spines are banded,
and may be more white or more dark.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
DIADEMATIDAE
Echinothrix diadema (Linnaeus, 1758)
This is the blue-black urchin, which is typically striped locally or as
juveniles. They can be recognized by the banded secondary
spines and bluish sheen. Their primary spines are also often a bit
thicker.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
DIADEMATIDAE
Colobocentrotus atratus (Linneaus, 1758)
This species is typically found in the splash zone, where it’s flat
shape and spines help to keep surf from dislodging or damaging
it. They can cling very strongly with their tube feet. Size to about
7.5 cm wide.
Photo by
Phil Lo Cicero
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
ECHINOMETRIDAE
Echinometra mathaei (de Blainville, 1826)
This is the most common local urchin species. They are up to
~5cm in diameter and either greenish or reddish. The spines are
solid and harmless, as long as you don’t step on them.
Photo by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
ECHINOMETRIDAE
Juvenile (?) Echinometra
This little urchin is about 3 mm across (test diameter). The bases
of the spines are greenish and slightly irridescent.
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
ECHINOMETRIDAE
Echinostrephus aciculatus A. Agassiz, 1863
This is a finer-spined urchin, with long reddish spines just on top.
They only come out of their holes by night.
Photos by
John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
ECHINOMETRIDAE
Heterocentrotus mammillatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
The red pencil urchin. The color in these comes from pigments in
the tissues over the spines.
Photo by John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
ECHINOMETRIDAE
Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus, 1758)
The collector urchin. Unlike other species in the genus, this
species doesn’t usually collect much. It’s large bodied, with few
short black or white spines, and dense fields of pedicellaria
between.
Photo by John Coney
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
TOXOPNEUSTIDAE
Urchin sp.
This urchin was about 1.5 mm long
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
Echinoneus cyclostomus (Leske, 1778)
This is a widely distributed but rarely seen irregular urchin. It lacks
the typical petaloid pattern of these urchins and has 5 double rows
of red tube feet more similar to regular urchins. The spines are
fine and white and the size is to about 2.5cm.
ECHINODERMATA
ECHINOIDEA
ECHINONEIDAE
Actinopyga
mauritiana (Quoy
& Gaimard, 1833)
This is a large cuke
common in nearshore
rocky habitats, where it
is typically found stuck to
rocks. Tan with white
spots and smooth, size
to ~20cm
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Actinopyga obesa (Selenka, 1867)
This is a large cuke common on hard bottoms to ~30m, where it is
typically found stuck to rocks. Tan and smooth, size to ~30cm.
This species has yellow anal teeth, if you happen to get that close.
Photos by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Bohadschia paradoxa (Selenka, 1867)
This is a large cuke common on sand bottoms to 15m or more.
Tan with dark papillae, size to ~50cm. It sometimes buries itself or
covers itself with sand.
Photos by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Holothuria atra (Selenka, 1867)
This is a large cuke common on sand and rubble bottoms to 33m
or more. Long and black with small papillae, and covered with
sand, size to ~50cm.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Holothuria whitmaei Bell, 1887
This is a large, hard-bodied cuke common on rocky to sandy
bottoms. Black with a coating of sand, and lumps around the
base, size to about 30 cm.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Holothuria cinerascens Brandt, 1835
This is a small intertidal cuke common under rocky overhangs.
Brown or grey with black/ yellow feeding tentacles.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Holothuria difficilis (Semper, 1868)
This is a small shallow water cuke common under rocks. Dark
brown or black with short papillae. Cuvierian tubules produced by
this species are very fine and thin… and numerous.
Photo by
Phil Lo Cicero
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Holothuria hilla Lesson, 1830
This is a small nearshore cuke common under rocks. Tan with
white spots and papillae, to about 30 cm.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Holothuria impatiens (Forsskål, 1775)
This is a small nearshore cuke common under rocks. They tend to
be a bit darker and banded toward the anterior end. Size to about
20 cm.
Photo by
Phil Lo Cicero
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Holothuria sp.
Black-spotted cucumber. This is found in deeper water, where it is
typically found stuck to rocks. Brown with black dots ringed in
white and smooth, size to ~35cm.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Holothuriidae
Stichopus horrens Selenka, 1867
This species has roughly four rows of lumps along the body and is
mottled brown in color. To about 25 cm long.
Photo by
Phil Lo Cicero
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Stichopodidae
Stichopus sp.
Stichopodids are poorly known, lumpy cukes. They tend to autoeviscerate rather than spewing tubules when threatened.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Stichopodidae
Stichopus sp.
This one (and the previous) is called the Hawaiian Spiky sea
cucumber, and it gets to ~50 cm long. Found on reef and rubble
bottoms from about 16m to 60m or more.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Stichopodidae
Stichopus sp.
This one has dots.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Stichopodidae
Unknown cucumber sp. 1
These very small yellow (~2 cm) cukes are common
locally attached under rocks. Two tube feet and several
feeding tentacles are visible
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Polyplectana kefersteini (Selenka, 1867)
Synaptids are long, narrow, thin-skinned cukes with no tube feet,
but spicules in the skin that they use to cling to substrates. They
are light sensitive and quite fragile.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Synaptidae
Euapta godeffroyi (Semper, 1868)
This is a rather colorful synaptid that can grow up to over 1m in
length.
Photo by
John Coney
Echinodermata
Holothuroidea
Synaptidae
