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What the sources say

Sandfish Sea CucumberHolothuria scabra

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Sandfish Sea Cucumber profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 38 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Purcell, Hamel & Mercier 2026

Purcell, Hamel & Mercier (2026). Holothuria scabra. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2026: e.T180257A272668462.

The page saysVulnerable
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU).Note: stats.conservationStatus; GBIF copy of the 2025 assessment; GBIF check goes here, the page quoted is the cached category text
The page saysThe IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU).Note: Category from GBIF's copy; assessment year dropped, the quote does not state it

Source
02

Lee et al. 2018

Lee et al. (2018). Effects of sandfish (Holothuria scabra) removal on shallow-water sediments in Fiji. PeerJ.

The page saysA sediment-swallowing sea cucumber that is one of the highest-valued species in the bêche-de-mer trade.
The source saysSandfish, Holothuria scabra ( Jaeger, 1833 ), is one of the highest valued species in the bêche-de-mer tradeNote: tagline; 'sediment-swallowing' is the ingests claim below
The page sayssediment-swallowing
The source saysingests a considerable amount of sediment during feedingNote: tagline
The page saysShallow soft-bottom habitats, generally behind fringing reefs and in protected bays, across the Indo-Pacific
The source saysthey generally inhabit low energy environments behind fringing reefs or within protected bays and shoresNote: stats.habitat, first part
The page saysSediment, swallowed as it feeds
The source saysingests a considerable amount of sediment during feedingNote: stats.diet; species-scoped (was 'Sea cucumbers actively feed on OM', a group statement)
The page saysTurns sea floor sediment into about 26 pellets an hour
The source saysOn average each animal produced 26 sediment pellets h −1 ± 2Note: stats.superpower
The page saysThe sandfish, Holothuria scabra, is a sea cucumber that ingests a considerable amount of sediment while it feeds.
The source saysingests a considerable amount of sediment during feeding
The page sayseach animal produced an average of 26 sediment pellets an hour, and each pellet weighed about 0.36 g
The source saysOn average each animal produced 26 sediment pellets h −1 ± 2, which had a mass of 0.36 g ± 0.01.
The page saysThe sandfish there fed for about 10 hours a day, in daylight, and sat inactive for the other 14.
The source saysindividuals of this species actively fed for 10 h day −1 during daylight hours (0600–1800 h) and were inactive for 14 h day −1
The page saysAt low tide they generally stayed buried.
The source saysH. scabra at the site generally remained buried during low tide
The page saysthe researchers estimated the local population could rework the top 5 mm of sediment about two and a half times a year
The source saysthe estimated population of H. scabra in 1,000 m 2 has the potential to rework the upper 5 mm of sediment approximately two and a half times a year
The page saysthe most common length was about 15 cm, which works out to about 200 g
The source saysH. scabra of length ca . 15 cm, which equates to ca . 200 g ind −1 , as this was the most common length of H. scabra in the general areaNote: 'general area where enclosures were situated' = the Fiji study area
The page saysThey generally live in low-energy environments behind fringing reefs or in protected bays and shores.
The source saysthey generally inhabit low energy environments behind fringing reefs or within protected bays and shores
The page saysIn Fiji, the depth oxygen reached into the sediment fell by 63% after a 6 °C rise in water temperature over two months in pens with no sandfish. In pens with high sandfish densities, no such change was observed.
The source saysIn the exclusion treatment, the O 2 penetration depth decreased by 63% following a 6 °C increase in water temperature over the course of two months, while in the high treatment no such change was observed.
The page saysSandfish are one of the highest-valued species in the bêche-de-mer trade.
The source saysSandfish, Holothuria scabra ( Jaeger, 1833 ), is one of the highest valued species in the bêche-de-mer trade
The page saysIn a Fiji sample of 27 sandfish between 8 and 16 cm long, the average was 13 cm and 145 g.
The source saysH. scabra between lengths of 8–16 cm ( n = 27, mean length = 13 cm ± 0.22 SE; mean mass = 145 g ± 6.27 SE)
The page saysThat size class was the most abundant across the reef flat.
The source saysas they represent the most abundant size class across the entire reef flat
The page saysIn Fiji enclosures with no sandfish, sedimentary oxygen consumption, a measure of how much oxygen the sediment's community uses, rose about two-fold in the first month.
The source saysSOC rates increased ca . two-fold in the exclusion treatment within the first monthNote: SOC = sedimentary oxygen consumption (abstract); 'reflects the respiration of the entire sedimentary community contained in a core'
The page saysfell by 63% after a 6 °C rise in water temperature over two months in pens with no sandfish
The source saysIn the exclusion treatment, the O 2 penetration depth decreased by 63% following a 6 °C increase in water temperature over the course of two months
The page saysA sandfish works the sea floor at a steady pace, about 26 sediment pellets an hour through 10 hours of daylight feeding.
The source saysOn average each animal produced 26 sediment pellets h −1 ± 2, which had a mass of 0.36 g ± 0.01. ... individuals of this species actively fed for 10 h day −1 during daylight hours (0600–1800 h) and were inactive for 14 h day −1Note: vibe.reason; reuses the body claim

Source
03

Advances in Marine Biology 2022

Global knowledge on the commercial sea cucumber Holothuria scabra. Advances in Marine Biology, 2022.

The page saysShallow soft-bottom habitats
The source sayswidely distributed and historically abundant in several shallow soft-bottom habitats throughout the Indo-PacificNote: stats.habitat
The page saysacross the Indo-Pacific
The source sayswidely distributed and historically abundant in several shallow soft-bottom habitats throughout the Indo-PacificNote: stats.habitat
The page saysSandfish are widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific, in shallow soft-bottom habitats.
The source sayswidely distributed and historically abundant in several shallow soft-bottom habitats throughout the Indo-Pacific
The page saysA 2022 review reports declines in wild stocks over the entire distribution range.
The source saysfurther declines in wild stocks over the entire distribution rangeNote: 2022 is the review's publication year
The page sayscalls it the only tropical sea cucumber that can currently be mass-produced in hatcheries
The source saysit is the only tropical holothuroid species that can currently be mass-produced in hatcheriesNote: 2022 is the reference's year (Advances in Marine Biology, 2022)
The page saysA 2022 review of more than 950 publications
The source saysThis review compiles data from over 950 publicationsNote: 2022 is the review's publication year

Source
04

Wolkenhauer et al. 2009

Wolkenhauer et al. (2009). The ecological role of Holothuria scabra (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) within subtropical seagrass beds. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.

The page saysSandfish are closely associated with seagrass beds.
The source saysa commercially valuable tropical species closely associated with seagrass beds
The page saysseagrass grew 5% less in one year and 12% less in the next where the sandfish were kept out
The source saysSeagrass growth was lower when holothurians were excluded (5% in 2003, 12% in 2004).
The page saysIn two caging experiments
The source saystwo exclusion experiments conducted using in situ cages deployed for two months both in 2003 and 2004

Source
05

Dabbagh et al. 2012

Dabbagh et al. (2012). Holothuria scabra (Holothuroidea: Aspidochirotida): first record of a highly valued sea cucumber, in the Persian Gulf, Iran. Marine Biodiversity Records.

The page saysA 2012 paper reported some specimens collected by snorkellers at a depth of 5 m at Qeshm Island, the first record of the species in the Persian Gulf.
The source saysSome specimens of the sea cucumber were collected by snorkellers diving at depth of 5 m at Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. ... This report is the first to document the highly valued commercial sea cucumber in the Persian Gulf region.Note: 2012 is the paper's publication year (Marine Biodiversity Records, August 2012), not the collection date
The page saysThe same 2012 paper called it the most exploited sea cucumber species in Iran.
The source saysIn Iran, the sandfish, Holothuria scabra is the most exploited sea cucumber speciesNote: dated to the paper (2012) rather than stated as a current state

Source
06

Mercier, Battaglene & Hamel 2000

Mercier, Battaglene & Hamel (2000). Settlement preferences and early migration of the tropical sea cucumber Holothuria scabra. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology.

The page saysIn laboratory trials, newly settled juveniles stayed on seagrass leaves for 4 to 5 weeks, then migrated to sand at around 6 mm long.
The source saysSettlement and post-settlement processes of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra Jaeger were studied in the laboratory. ... Newly settled juveniles remained on the seagrass leaves for 4-5 weeks before migrating to sand at around 6 mm in length.

Source
07

Purcell 2014

Purcell (2014). Value, market preferences and trade of beche-de-mer from Pacific Island sea cucumbers. PLoS ONE.

The page saysBêche-de-mer is sea cucumber that has been gutted, cooked, salted and dried.
The source saysBeche-de-mer, the product after gutting, cooking, salting and drying sea cucumbers
The page saysA 2014 study found sandfish and golden sandfish to be the most valuable tropical sea cucumbers in dried seafood markets in China
The source saysThis study affirms that sandfish H. scabra and golden sandfish H. lessoni are the most valuable tropical sea cucumbers in dried seafood markets in China.Note: 2014 is the paper's publication year (PLoS ONE, 2014)
The page saysone Hong Kong store selling very large sandfish for US$1,668 a kilogram
The source saysThe most expensive product was very large sandfish ( Holothuria scabra ) in one store in Hong Kong, selling for US$1,668 kg −1Note: US$1,668 kg-1 as printed

Source
08

Becker et al. 2004

Becker et al. (2004). The skin ulceration disease in cultivated juveniles of Holothuria scabra (Holothuroidea, Echinodermata). Aquaculture.

The page saysIn a Madagascar hatchery, buried juveniles exposed their posterior end to breathe.
The source sayswhen they are buried, expose their posterior end to breatheNote: breathing behaviour of hatchery juveniles; setting is the next claim
The page saysIn a Madagascar hatchery
The source saysjuvenile Holothuria scabra, the widely marketed edible sea cucumber, reared in the Aqua-Lab hatchery of Toliara, Madagascar

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.