Sea Cucumbers
CLASS HOLOTHUROIDEA
SPECIES OF Sea Cucumbers
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ANATOMY OF Sea Cucumbers
OVERVIEW
Despite their name, sea cucumbers are actually animals, not plants! They belong to the class Holothuroidea, which means “plant-like animals” in Greek.
I’M A STAR ON THE INSIDE!
Although sea cucumbers may look more like worms or sausages, they are actually stars in disguise! As sea cucumbers have 5 rows of tube feet along their body length, they look like stars from the top down!
SEA CUCUMBERS HAVE TENTACLES?!
The mouth of a sea cucumber is located at one end of its body. If you are lucky, you may see feathery tentacles extending out of its mouth when it is underwater! The sea cucumber uses its tentacles as a net to sieve out and capture plankton floating in the sea, or as a broom to sweep food particles from the sea floor into its mouth.
EARTHWORMS OF THE SEA!
Most sea cucumbers are detritivores, feeding on dead and decaying organic matter. Some sea cucumbers can even burrow into the sea floor and ingest sediment, just like earthworms! By recycling nutrients and contributing to decomposition in the ocean, these “earthworms of the sea” play a vital role in keeping the marine ecosystem healthy!