Bohadschia argus
Bohadschia argus, the leopard sea cucumber, is a species of marine invertebrate in the family Holothuriidae. It is the type species of the genus "Bohadschia"; Jaeger, 1833. Description. "Bohadschia argus" is sausage-shaped with a smooth, tough, leathery skin and can grow to in length. It is a greyish-brown colour, paler below, with distinctive dark eye-spots surrounded by white haloes. There are several rows of tube feet on the underside. Surrounding the mouth at the anterior end is a ring of paddle-shaped, black tentacles fringed with white. The anus, at the posterior end, has Cuvierian  tubules situated at its base which are readily ejected as sticky threads if the animal is disturbed or handled. These contain toxins which deter predators and are irritating to human skin. Distribution and habitat. "Bohadschia argus" is found in the Western Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from Madagascar, the Seychelles and Sri Lanka to Malaysia and the South Pacific Islands. It is found on coral reefs and on exposed, sandy areas of the seabed at depths of between and . Biology. "Bohadschia argus" is an omnivore. As it moves across the seabed, it sweeps sand grains and  detritus into its mouth using its sticky tentacles. It obtains some nourishment from the biofilm that coats the grains. Ecology. Fish of the species "Carapus mourlani" are sometimes found living in the coelomic cavity of "Bohadschia argus"; the fish enter through the anus, either going in head first or more frequently tail first. In a study in the Banda Islands in the South Moluccan Sea, 15 individual fish were found to be inhabiting the body of one sea cucumber in length. The small emperor shrimp ("Periclimenes imperator") is often associated with "Bohadschia argus" and may help keep it clear of  ectoparasites. Uses. A new triterpene glycoside, Arguside A, has been extracted from the tissues of "Bohadschia argus". This compound appears to exhibit cytotoxicity against several different types of human tumour cells.