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STEVEN W. PURCELL1, CHANTAL CONAND2, SVEN UTHICKE3 & MARIA BYRNE41National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia E-mail: [email protected] 9220 UR CNRS IRD ENTROPIE, Université de la Réunion, Saint Denis and Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France3Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia 4School of Medical Sciences and School of Biological Sciences, F13,University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, AustraliaSea cucumbers (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) are large and abundant members of marine benthic communities. Overexploitation worldwide has raised concern because they have important functions within ecosystems. The ecological roles of commercially exploited sea cucumbers (Aspidochirotida and Dendrochirotida) are reviewed here, focusing on recent literature. Of …