ABSTRACT
The intertidal distribution, density, biomass and population structure of three species of holothurians have been studied at six sites between Port Elizabeth and East London in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The reproductive cycles, as determined by gonad index, gonad tubule diameter and histology of the gonads, of all three species were examined from January 1992 until August 1993 at Port Elizabeth. After spawning the gonads regressed completely and animals remained reproductively inactive from February to June. Unlike N. grammatus the gonads of R. stephensoni and P. sykion never regressed completely and there was only a brief reproductive resting period in February.
