A rearing method for Chiridota rotifera (Holothuroidea, Apoda)

The apodous holothurian Chiridota rotifera is a small brooding species that occurs from the shallow waters of Bermudas to Southeast Brazil. Its ten centimetres long body has a worm like appearance and a skin marked by white papillae containing skeleton plates in the shape of wheels. This benthic animal inhabits the coarse sandy substrata found around rocks and pebbles of varied sizes. The present work reports a new methodology to rear this species in captivity. The holothurians were kept in three reservoirs containing sand from Istmo do Baleeiro (23° 49’ 44” S e 45° 25’ 24” W), where these animals occur. The tanks supplied with running seawater had a volume of 250 litres each, and the animals were confined into small rearing PVC cages (10 centimetres in diameter).