Introduced Species

For other Echinoderms:

Sea cucumbers are elongate animals with soft bodies. Like sea stars and sea urchins, they have tube feet. At one end they have a mouth with feeding tentacles (formed by modified tube feet). At the other end is the anus. Despite lying flat on the seabed, the body is still divided into five (or multiples of) equal parts, just like sea urchins and sea stars. Sea cucumbers have the unique ability to expel their gut (large amounts of 'respiratory trees' - very sticky and VERY smelly!) when threatened, as a means of defense. The stomach is then regenerated. Some sea cucumbers also protect themselves with toxins, often indicated by bright colours. Most are unselective of what they eat, and often swallow large amounts of sand which passes through the gut and out the anus, with small organic particles from the sand removed as it passes through the gut.

By far the most common sea cucumber found at the Marine Discovery Centre is:

Stichopus mollis - Brown Sea Cucumber Picture: MDC

Habitat: Moderately exposed reef; 0 - 140 m depth Distribution: WA to NSW and around Tasmania, also New Zealand Maximum Size: Length to 200 mm Diet: Small organic particles Comments:  This species is abundant through Southern Australia. It has small dark bumps over the surface and tube feet on the undersurface only. This species feeds at night.