1 SEA CUCUMBER IN MEDICAL APPLICATION 1.1 INTRODUCTION Sea cucumbers from class of Holothuroidea are a group of echinoderms that include about 1,250 known living species. It is a unique creature due to the existence of endoskeleton or internal skeleton that consists of tiny ossicles or spicules, small particles of calcium carbonate embedded in the body wall. Mostly of them are indeed shaped like soft-bodied cucumbers. Generally, sea cucumbers can grow to the lengths of between 4 to 12 inches
Echinoderms (scientific name Echinodermata) are a major group of only marine animals. The name comes from the Greek word for "spiny skin". There are about 7,000 species found usually on the sea floor in every marine habitat from the intertidal zone to the ocean depths (Marine Education Society of Australasia 1999-2015). They occur in various habitats from the intertidal zone down to the bottom of the deep sea trenches and from sand to rubble to coral reefs and in cold and tropical seas. Some echinoderms
Echinoderm (meaning Spiny skinned) is a diverse group of invertebrates belonging to the phylum Echinodermata. Phylum Echinodermata consists of five main classes that are divided into 7,500 extant species and approximately 13,000 known extinct species, including several classes that were discovered through fossils. The five main classes are proposed to have evolved from a common metazoan ancestor approximately 500 million years ago during the early Palaeozoic period (Britannica, 2014). Echinoderms
According to Campbell and Reece (2007) biogeography is the study of the past and present distribution of species. Cristopherson (1994) states that it is the study of the distribution of plants, animals and related ecosystems and the geographical relationships with related environments over time. It involves a wide range of disciplines such as biology, geology, geography and ecology. It begs the question, why are there so many more species in tropical rainforests than in woodlands? What allows a species