Classification
Species: Trepang Far Eastern – Apostichopus japonicus
Family: Poems
Order: Holothuria thyroid-tentacle
Class: Holothuria
Type: Echinoderms
Subtype: Freely Moving, Eleutherozoic
No rank: Secondary
Subdomain: Real multicellular, eumetazoi
Kingdom: Animals
Life expectancy: up to 11 years
A creature resembling snails without shells lives in the deep sea. or on large, fleshy earthworms. It is called marine. cucumber.
But it is not a seaweed or a species of shell or coral.
This invertebrate creature is scientifically called trepang, photo will show you an individual entirely studded with papillomas.
Therefore, it refers to the appearance of echinoderms.
You can meet holoturia or trepang in the Far East, in in particular, in the Yellow, Sea of Okhotsk, Japan and East China sea
Content
- 1 Habitat
- 2 Characteristic
- 3 Appearance
- 4 Key Features
- 5 Nutrition
- 6 Reproduction
- 7 Value
Habitat
You can meet holoturia or trepang in the Far East, in in particular, in the Yellow, Sea of Okhotsk, Japan and East China sea.
Large populations of sea cucumbers live near Sakhalin, on east of Japan, off the coast of Kunashir and Korea, Kyushu Island, in Gulf of Peter the Great, Kagoshima and the Kuril Islands.
He tries to choose trepang places are warm and not deep, likes hide in thickets of seaweed under the cover of mussels or in top layer of silt.
In the afternoon he rises to the surface of the water. And the cut itself is a favorite place of his habitat.
On particularly hot days, it sinks to a maximum depth of 150 meters – who wants to be fried in the sun.
Trepang is not afraid of fish, birds, arthropods, mammals. But he has enemies – this is man and starfish
Characteristic
Trepang looks like a big worm. Flattened laterally, he is long grows up to 40 cm. Its body consists, in fact, of two parts:
- On one side is the mouth and near-mouth tentacles (20 pieces) with which he scoops up suspensions and the upper loose layer of sediment, to send microorganisms in the mouth into the mouth.
- The second part is a natural exit, that is, anal hole.
Inside the trepang, these two parts connect the intestines.
Such a structure is called reduced, that is, many organs and body parts that do not have functional significance for holothuria, with time disappeared, leaving only the most significant.
On the back of the trepang there are conical growths – papillomas or papillas arranged in four rows. The color of the papillas is brown or white
Interesting! If trepang by chance or specially cut into three parts, then the extreme parts right there become independent and crawl away. The average lies a little and also becomes a living individual, only so far short.
Trepang is not afraid of aquatic inhabitants axolotle iguppi, birds, arthropods, mammals like sperm whales.
But he has enemies – this is man and starfish.
Interesting! Scared or worried trepang gathers in a ball like a hedgehog protecting himself spicules – spikes.
The back of the trepang is easy to distinguish from the abdominal part. On the abdomen there is an oral cavity surrounded by tentacles, color light brown or olive. The back is darker, often dark green or chocolate, sometimes black. The skin is tight to the touch elasticity is given to it by a single internal organ – tubular intestines
Appearance
The body of the trepang is elongated, shaped like a trapezoid, lower part slightly flattened.
- Length – maximum 40 – 45 cm
- Width – 8 – 10 cm
- Weight – adults fatten up to 1.5 kg
The back of the trepang is easy to distinguish from the abdominal part. On the abdomen there is an oral cavity surrounded by tentacles, color light brown or olive.
The back is darker, often dark green or chocolate, sometimes black.
The skin is dense to the touch, elasticity gives it a single the internal organ is the tubular intestine.
From enemies trepang protect spicules – calcareous skin education
Key Features
On the back of the trepang there are conical growths – papillomas or papillas arranged in four rows. The color of the papillas is brown or white.
On the abdomen – ambulacral legs, with which trepang moves slowly along the bottom.
From enemies trepang protect spicules – calcareous skin education.
Interesting! Moving holothuria on the bottom resembles the movement of a caterpillar. Trepang is going to a lump, moves its tentacles, attaches to the bottom or leaves of algae back end. The front part straightens and finds support, then tightens the back.
You cannot call trepangs meat-eaters. Passing water through the tentacles they trap microorganisms, pieces of algae, cells plankton and consume them for food
Food
You cannot call trepangs meat-eaters. Passing water through the tentacles they trap microorganisms, pieces of algae, cells plankton and consume them as food.
Due to the internal structure, food passes through a continuous intestines.
At the same time, useful substances have time to absorb into its walls, the rest comes out through the back in a natural way.
In the morning, trepangs sleep, they go to search for food in the afternoon or at night.
In autumn and winter they almost never eat sea cucumbers; appetite wakes up in early spring and does not fall until mid-summer.
Interesting! After spawning, marine cucumbers are so weakened that they fall into hibernation, during which Do not move or eat. Then, waking up from her in a month, literally pounce on food and quickly restore their former form.
Trepangs have both females and males, but to distinguish them by any outward signs impossible. Puberty comes of age 2 years and lasts the rest of my life
Breeding
Trepangs have both females and males, but to distinguish them by any outward signs impossible.
Puberty occurs at the age of 2 years and continues throughout remaining life.
The time of courtship, and, accordingly, spawning depends on water temperature:
- The southern coast of Japan – March-April.
- Peter the Great Bay and the Northern Regions – Second Half summers.
- The Yellow Sea – June.
Holothurians stand on their hind legs, hardening on a ledge rocks or pebbles stretch upward, resembling meerkats in the steppe, and begin to swing towards each other.
Fertilization occurs when genital openings connect. The female spawns several times in a couple of days, throwing up to 77 million eggs.
The eggs of holothurians are metamorphic – they immediately emerge from them. larvae.
In two years they grow to 15 cm, passing through four stages development: diploplerula (initial stage), auricularia (early stage) and lobar (middle stage) and pentactulus (late stage).
Interesting! Very much appreciated in countries East trepang. You can buy it today only on farms, where holothurians are artificially grown. Unfortunately, populations in the wild nature were almost exterminated by poachers. I even had to publish the law prohibiting the catch of sea cucumbers from June to September then eat at the time of spawning.
The most comfortable environment for trepangs is the oceanic water with a salt concentration of 35 grams per liter. In fresh water holothurians do not live, they die, turning inside out
Trepangs live in large herds, but move along the bottom prefer alone. And, true, everyone has their own speed and purpose movement.
Holothurians love warm water, but stoically tolerate and negative temperature. But with water quality, everything is fine. otherwise.
If oxygen saturation does not greatly affect their vital activity, then a significant decrease in salt concentration in sea water (less than 20 grams of salt per liter of water) threatens the population sea cucumbers doom.
The most comfortable environment for them is ocean water with salt concentration of 35 grams per liter.
Holothurians do not live in fresh water, they die, dodging inside out.
The healing properties of trepangs were known in the 16th century. Then they were consumed by emperors in order to prolong their life, improve health. They are called for their extremely valuable composition. sea ginseng
Value
The healing properties of trepangs were known in the 16th century.
Then they were consumed by emperors in order to extend life, improve health.
Their extremely valuable composition is called “marine ginseng. ”
They contain substances acting on the body. anti-aging:
- vitamins and fats;
- phosphorus and iodine;
- magnesium and copper;
- thiamine and riboflavin;
- iron and calcium;
- proteins and manganese;
- fatty acids and phosphatides.
Such a rich composition can boast trepang. What is treated them? Many diseases:
- diabetes;
- gastritis, pancreatitis;
- endocrinological diseases;
- constipation
- mastopathy and uterine fibroids;
- avitaminosis;
- sores;
- arthritis;
- respiratory and eye diseases;
- prostatitis;
- helminthiasis and a number of other ailments.
Pharmaceutical companies as a medicine they release an extract from trepangs infused with honey. In addition to medical qualities it is valued for its anti-aging effect and ability to quickly tighten wounds and scars
Interesting! Trepang, like any other marine reptile, is a powerful aphrodisiac, and therefore copes with sexual disorders.
Asian cooks stew trepangs with herbs and onions, generously flavored with spices, dried and pickled them.
Unlike mollusks, holothurians need to be cooked as long as possible. From this their meat becomes soft and tender.
Pharmaceutical companies as a medicine they release an extract from trepangs infused with honey.
In addition to its medicinal qualities, it is valued for its anti-aging effect and the ability to quickly tighten wounds and scars.
Important! Trepangs should not be eaten by children under 15 years, pregnant and lactating, people with low blood pressure.
Trepang: a small creature of great importance
Residents of eastern countries found in the sea an analogue of ground ginseng – This is a Far Eastern trepang. Sea ginseng due to its properties very appreciated by both physicians and culinary specialists.
