Genus & Species of a Sea Cucumber

Habitat

• Sea cucumbers live in diverse ocean environments. The animals can be found in shallow water around every continent including Antarctica, but many live in deep ocean trenches. Depending on species, sea cucumbers range in sandy, muddy, grassy or flat reef environments. The animals can also be found in tide pools, wedged in boulders or burrowed into the sea floor.

Diet

• Sea cucumbers scavenge for food by combing the sea floor or reefs with tentacles. Algae, plankton and decomposed matter make up the sea cucumber's diet. Tentacles located around the mouth scrape in food. The animal's digestive process breaks down the food further. Sea cucumber waste provides a diet for bacteria found in the ocean. Sea cucumbers contribute to the health of the ocean floor much like earthworms do on land.

Defense Mechanisms

• Some species of sea cucumbers, including the Orange sea cucumber or Cucumaria Miniata, thwart predator attacks by expelling a tangle of internal organs. The guts act as a sticky net preoccupying or temporarily trapping predators while the sea cucumber finds safety. The animal then gradually regenerates its missing organs. The Actinopyga Mauritiana sea cucumber has an odd but effective defense adaptation. The animal has five teeth around its anus to prevent pearl fish from taking up residence in the sea cucumber's intestines. Sea cucumbers in the Stichopus genus can defend themselves by letting their bodies go limp and beginning a process of disintegrating. These sea cucumbers can reassemble themselves, if they haven't disintegrated too much.

Reproduction

• Sea cucumbers have the option to reproduce sexually or asexually. Sexual reproduction is more common. A female releases her eggs into the water. Males do the same with sperm. The sea cucumbers rely on proximity and ocean currents to mingle the gametes. The animals breed most successfully in dense populations where increased numbers heighten the chances of fertilization. The Stichopus Chloronotus sea cucumber can undergo asexual reproduction by splitting in two. Each half regenerates missing organs, becoming two sea cucumbers.

Sea Cucumbers as Pets

• Sea cucumbers may attract keepers of reef aquariums, since the animal is exotic and a competent tank cleaner. Be advised the sea cucumber presents special challenges. Most species possess defense mechanisms that involve discharging toxic chemicals in various fashions. If the sea cucumber is threatened or stressed, the end result could mean death of fish and other animals that share the tank. For people willing to take the risk, the Holothuria genus of sea cucumber can be a popular choice. The Holothuria Impatiens species is marketed as the Tigertail Cucumber. These animals are not picky about the substrates from which they feed. The Holothuria Edulis species prefers a sandy or grassy environment. Holothuria Atra ingest sand particles clumped with organic material and excrete clean sand.

Sea Cucumbers as Cuisine

• Fishermen harvest sea cucumber throughout Asia and the South Pacific. The Holothuria Atra species of sea cucumber is a food source for Samoans. China, Hong Kong and Singapore import the Actinopyga Mauritiana sea cucumber species for meat. The animal is dried and processed for its muscular portions. In Japan and Korean countries, sea cucumbers are served raw or pickled. Many in Asia and the South Pacific attribute an aphrodisiac benefit along with sea cucumber nutritional value.