User:Ireneayala99/Thelenota anax

Thelenota anax
Thelenota anax, is a species of sea cucumber mostly found in the South-Pacific. It is also commonly known as the Amber fish. Some other names for the T.anax are Black Teatfish, Blackfish, Brownfish, Chief Sea Cucumber, Curryfish, Elephant Trunk Cucumber, Lollyfish, Tripang, and White-teat Sea Cucumber. T.anax is found on sandy ocean bottoms and have ectocommensal relationships. They are commonly exported because of its medicinal properties and high body mass.

Description
The body of the T.anax can be a creamy beige or light brown with dark brown or red spots. It usually has light colored bumps on the top of its body. The T.anax also has large with papillae located laterally on its body. On its ventral surface there is long white podia. Its mouth is also located ventrally with 18-20 peltate tentacles. The anus is located on the dorsal side of the animal towards the terminal end. Their average length is about 69 cm long, but the longest recorded sea cucumber was 89 cm long. Some of the biggest sea cucumber can weigh up to 5kg. It also has two gonads that are approximately 70-500mm long.

Habitat
The Thelenota anax prefers to live in deep regions of the ocean usually 26m in depth or more. They are often found on soft sandy ocean floor. Some can be found on the side of reef slopes.

Ectocommensals
Some organism often live on the outside of the Thelenota anax. A few common species found on T.anax are scaleworms and gastropods. The sea cucumber does not

Commercial Value
Many sea cucumbers are sold in jars called beche-de-mer. The Thelenota anax has a commercial value of around $6.66 per kg. It is one of the less profitable species of sea cucumbers. However, it is the one mostly exported by volume because of its high body mass.

Medicinal Properties
Many Asian and Middle Eastern countries have consumed T.anax for its medicinal benefits. The T.anax produces many different bioactive compounds such as arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. These compounds are known to reduce the risk of coronary disease, some cancers, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Specifically arachidonic acid promotes blood clotting and wound healing. This is why many Asian countries use T.anax to treat burns and cuts  .

Studies have also shown that T.anax produces glycosides Stichopside C (STC) and Stichoposide D (STD). STC makes Ceramide, which is a tumor suppressor lipid. It also causes the apoptosis of colorectal caner cells and leukemia cells. STD causes the apoptosis of only leukemia cells and inhibits its growth.