الفهرس 
A taxonomical study based on morphological and anatomical charactersOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 196 |  |  |
| | | from | 196 | | |
Abstract
This study included the morphological and chemo-taxonomical studies of six species of Egyptian sea-cucumbers. Also, the biological activities of these species have been studied. The collected seacucumbers species from Egyptian coasts (Mediterranean and Red
Seas)are belonging to family Holothuriidae. One of these species, H. polii was unique to the Mediterranean Sea coasts as collected from Abu-Qir and Miami regions while the other five species were found in Hurghada shores. Sea-cucumbers are marine animals belong to class Holothuroidea which is one of the five extant classes of echinoderms. Their body lack arms, have a typical elongated cucumber shape and feed using buccal tentacles. The vermiform to
cylindrical shape of most species gives them a bilaterally symmetrical appearance. They tend to live on the sea floor in deep seas. The presence of Cuvierian tubules in several species is a unique feature of this family. This organ is attached to the base of the left respiratory tree and can be expelled through the cloacal opening once the sea-cucumber is disturbed. The species were identified and separated according to their morphometric analysis as shape of body, color, length, width and weight. Also, the identification of species depended almost entirely on the types, shapes and abundance of microscopic ossicles that are the skeletal components in the body wall of all sea-cucumbers. The
results showed that the ossicle differences between Actinopyga and
Bohadchia are very little and both species have almost similar types of ossicles. While, morphologically there are clear differences between the two genera that is represented by the presence of anal hard teeth in the case of Actinopyga that are replaced by anal soft papillia in the case of Bohadchia.