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Polycheira

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Polycheira
Polycheira rufescens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Apodida
Family: Chiridotidae
Genus: Polycheira
Eschscholtz, 1829
Species

See text.

Polycheira is a genus of holothurians (sea cucumbers) found in tropical Indo-Pacific.

A curious pattern of reproduction has been found in Polycheira rufescens where specimens change their sex from male to female and from female to male in a reproductive season [1]

Systematics

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Polycheira appear to be closely related to the genus Chiridota (both belong to the subfamily Chiridotinae).[2] The type species of the genus is Polycheira rufescens (Brandt, 1835).

The following species are recognised in the genus Polycheira:[3]


References

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  1. ^ Arakaki,S. et al.,Sex change and spatial distribution pattern in an intertidal holothurian Polycheira rufescens in the reproductive season. Res. Popul. Ecol. 1999, vol. 41, No 3
  2. ^ Kerr,A.M. Phylogeny of the Apodan Holothurians (Echinodermata) inferred from morphology. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (2001), 133
  3. ^ MarineSpecies.org - Polycheira