Cucumaria de Blainville 1830

Cucumaria frondosa side view (65), dorsal view (66); Thyone briareus dorsal view (67); Thyone unisemita side view (68), ventral view (69); Cucumaria pulcherrima side view (70); thyone scabra side view of a young specimen (71); trochostoma ovliticum side view of contracted alcoholic specimen (72); Caudina arenata side view of contracted alcoholic specimen (73); Synapta inhaerens dorsal view (74); Synapta roseola dorsal view (75).

Photographed at 20 m depth. To feed, this sea cucumber sequentially places one arm with it's sticky tentacles and entrapped planktonic material within the mouth, licks off the food, extends the arm, and then repeats the process.

Males and females spawn synchronously in the Spring as they extend their bodies from the rocks. The eggs are toxic to fish.

sea cucumber

While feeding, this sea cucumber sequentially folds up its tentacles and thrusts an arm into the mouth to lick off entrapped plankton.

Cucumaria pallida from about 10 m depth, Sares Head. About 12 cm long. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2006)

Cucumaria miniata (Brandt, 1835) Common name: Orange Sea Cucumber, red sea cucumber, vermilion sea cucumber, red sea gherkin Found on Sares Head, WA. Side view. Animal is approx. 10cm in length. Photo by: Kelly Williams, June 2002

The ten buccal tentacles are branched. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2005

The tube feet are in rows down the body. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2005

Cucumaria piperata, 12 cm long, from 10 m depth at Northwest Island (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2005)