Black Teatfish
CR

Black Teatfish

Holothuria nobilis

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holothuria_nobilis

Overview

Holothuria (Microthele) nobilis, the black teatfish, is a species of sea cucumber in the genus Holothuria. The sea cucumber is found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific ocean. It was first described by Emil Selenka in 1867.

The black teatfish's primary threat is intensive, often illegal harvesting for the international beche-de-mer trade, where its large size and high market value make it a preferred target. Its shallow-water, reef-flat habitat makes populations easy to locate and overexploit, leading to rapid localized depletion. Slow growth rates and late sexual maturity limit the species' ability to recover from fishing pressure, compounding population declines even after harvest reductions.

Threat summary

Habitat

The black teatfish inhabits shallow coral reef flats, lagoons, and seagrass-associated sandy substrates throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific, typically in waters less than 20 meters deep.

Marine neritic· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protection

Other threatened species in HOLOTHURIIDAE

VU

Bohadschia maculisparsa

Unknown
VU

Actinopyga mauritiana

Declining
EN

Holothuria fuscogilva

Declining
VU

Actinopyga miliaris

Declining

Threatened in Chile

VU

Juan Fernandez Petrel

Pterodroma externa

Stable
VU

Black Petrel

Procellaria parkinsoni

Stable
VU

Chimney Swift

Chaetura pelagica

Declining
VU

Pink-footed Shearwater

Ardenna creatopus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Black Teatfish classified as Critically Endangered?
Black Teatfish is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The black teatfish's primary threat is intensive, often illegal harvesting for the international beche-de-mer trade, where its large size and high market value make it a preferred target. Its shallow-water, reef-flat habitat makes populations easy to locate and overexploit, leading to rapid localized depletion. Slow growth rates and late sexual maturity limit the species' ability to recover from fishing pressure, compounding population declines even after harvest reductions.
Where does Black Teatfish live?
Black Teatfish occurs in Chile, Comoros, Cook Islands, Egypt, Fiji, and France (plus 44 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Black Teatfish?
The main threats to Black Teatfish are 5.1, 5.1.1, and 5.4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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