Aslia forbesi

Scientific Name:-

Aslia forbesi

Common Name:-

Malayalam Name:-

Kadal vellarikka

Category:-

Echinodermata

Status:-

Included in Schedule I of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act

Description:-

Light brown in colour. Body slightly curved, quadrangular in cross section. Body wall thick and rough with dense arrangement of spicules. Tentacles dark brown, dendrochirotic type and ten in number. Podia yellowish, restricted to ambulacral region and three rows of podium on each ambulacra. Interambulacral regions devoid of pedicels and papillae. Anal papillae numerous. In preserved specimen ventral side is shrinkened and pale white in colour. Calcareous ring consists of radials and interradials with undulating posterior margin forming a shallow notch on each radials. Anterior margin of each radial and interradial plate produced into narrow projections. Spicules of dorsal and ventral body wall consist of regular four holed knobbed buttons of varying size. Most of the buttons laterally elongated with regularly undulating margins; some buttons round. Spicules of ventral pedicels include buttons, rods and baskets; rods with perforations. Spicules of dorsal podia include knobbed buttons, regular buttons and rods. Tentacular spicules include perforated broad rods of varying length.

Threats:-

Not recorded.

Remark:-

James (2007) reported this species from Vizhinjam and Kovalam, Kerala coast.

Habitat:-

Rocky intertidal area.

Synonyms:-

Cucumaria forbesi Bell, 1886

References:-

Clark, A. M and F.W.E. Rowe 1971. Monograph of shallow-water Indo West Pacific echinoderms. London. 238 pp.
James, D. B. 2007. Echinoderms of the West Coast of India. Fishing Chimes, 27(7): 19- 21.
Sastry, R. K. (2007). Echinodermata of India: An annotated check list . Rec. zool. Surv. India. Occ. paper No.271: 1-387

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