Stichopodidae

Haeckel, 1896

7 genera, 2 monotypic; 30 species

Body form is quite characteristic the ventral surface is flat, with a broad median ambulacrum and on each side an ambulacrum half as wide. Typically 20 tentacles. Papillae occur primarily in dorsal ambulacra and especially along the lateroventral region, In all species of Stichopus sensu stricto, supporting rods occur in feet, papillae and tentacles. These are absent in Thelenota and Astichopus. C-shaped bodies much stouter in Astichopus. Calcareous ring not of great value. Polian vesicles of Thelenota and Astichopus are branched. Madreporic canal is always embedded in dorsal mesentery; the madreporite more or less free and is always single. In Thelenota, gonads lacking or underdeveloped on right side. (Clark, 1922)

Tentacle ampullae present. Gonads on both sides of the dorsal mesentery. Respiratory trees usually connected with the alimentary canal through a rete mirabile. Stone canal usually connected with the body wall. No Cuvierian organs. Deposits: tables and derivatives of pointed rods; often C-shaped spicules, rarely buttons occur. (Mortensen, 1927)

Generally large holothurians with gonads in two tufts, papillae situated on prominent warts, and body wall spicules usually in the form of tables, either persistent throughout life, accompanied by C-shaped spicules and/or rosettes, or lost early in development to be replaced by minute performated plates and asymmetrical rods; some species with spicules exclusively in the form of dichotomously branched spiny rods and round to oval miliary granules. (Thandar, 1987)