And when they are gutted, boiled and roasted, then preserved through drying, smoking or freezing, they become very different from the live form, which creates another identification challenge. Many guidebooks, posters and identification cards have been produced to help with sea cucumber identification.1 But most relate to the most common commercial species and do not include all the variations of colour and form that can be encountered in the field.

LearnFishID sea cucumber module

The LearnFishID sea cucumber module is a Web-based species identification system that can be used to learn to identify 20 different tropical sea cucumber species. It is accessible from the SPC website.

The module contains photographs of 28 species of sea cucumbers taken in 17 Pacific Island countries. The number of species was set at 28 based on the sea cucumber iconography that was available at SPC.

The module allows users to test their identification skills using pictures through multiple choice type questions. Three different skill levels are available — beginner, advanced and expert — allowing users to follow a progressive pattern in their learning. A score is given at the end of each session, enabling users to see how well or how poorly they perform with sea cucumber identification.

In the near future, the module will give the possibility for registered users to contribute photos, which will be verified by a panel of experts before being included in the database. Improvements in this module will depend on feedback from users and contributors. So, please try it and let us know if this tool deserves to be further developed

For more information, please contact Franck Magron, SPC Reef Fisheries Information Manager or Kalo Pakoa, SPC Fisheries Scientist (invertebrates)