Classification
The Classification of the swimming sea
cucumber is very unique compared to other deep-sea cucumbers.
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Elasipodida
Family: Pelagothuriidae
Genus: Enypniastes
Species:
Enypniastes eximia
The Enypniastes eximia is the scientific name of our
organism. In English this organism is the swimming sea cucumber.
Eukarya: This group contains all organisms with
eukaryotic cells. For an example of other eukarya check out the
African elephant!
Animalia: this group is very diverse and
includes all animals, which are multicellular and heterotrophic. This group
does not contain any protists or prokaryotes
Echinodermata: includes around 7000 species that
are still living today, this group includes starfish, sea urchins, and sea
cucumbers. Some of the synapomorphies in this group includes a water
vascular system and a calcified made of ossicles
Holothuroidea: includes sea cucumbers. There are
found in almost every ocean on the planet. What separates this group from
the others is its calcium ring in throat. Another animal that has a large
habitat range is the tuna,
click here to learn more!
Elasipodida: “have a madrepor that opens into
the body cavity” (tree of life). Includes 141 species. Organisms in this
group all have tentacles that are in a shield shape that can be used for
shoveling in sediments, there body wall is also soft.
Enypniastes- are deep sea cucumbers, feeds on
sediments and is distributed all over the oceans of the world
Enypniastes-
eximia: swimming sea cucumber
Phylogenetic Trees
Crinoidea
Asteroidea
Ophiuroidea Echinoidea
Holothuroidea
The swimming sea cucumber falls into the Holothuroidea
group, this group includes all sea cucumbers. The animals that the swimming
sea cucumber is most related to include sea urchins and the type of animal
that is least related to the swimming sea cucumber are Crinoids. This tree
is based on morphological characteristics.
Click here for more information about sea cucumbers!
In this phylogenetic tree the
Enypniastes eximia belongs in the class of Holothuroidea and then in
the tree that shoots off of the first one they belong in the order
Elasipodida. These trees are based on interpretation of the 18S and 28S rDNA
data that was collected, in other words this tree is based off of molecular
sequences (tree of life).