Phylum Echinodermata

Class Holothuroidea

Sea Cucumbers

Sea cucumbers feed upon detritus collected from the seafloor or suspended in the water column.  They are more active at night and often host crustaceans, mollusks, or fish within and without.  Many species eject stick white threads called Cuvierian Tubules when disturbed.

More information about Sea Cucumbers from the University of Guam

 Sticky Cuvierian Tubules

 

HAWAII

Family Holothuriidae

 Actinopyga mauritiana

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

Kapoho tidepools, Hawaii, 4 feet

Kahe Point, Oahu, 20 feet

Sharks Cove tidepool, Pupukea, Oahu

WHITE-SPOTTED SEA CUCUMBER 

Common in shallow wave washed areas firmly attached to reef.  Hard skin with white spots.  About 8 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

Actinopyga obesa

Fish Hole, Midway, 45 feet 

 

Kapoho tidepools, Hawaii

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 30 feet

 

Kapoho tidepools, Hawaii

A. obesa & H. atra, Kapoho tidepools, Hawaii

PLUMP SEA CUCUMBER 

Frequent on hard reefs in shallow water.  Leathery orange or brown skin with tiny papillae may be covered with sand.  About 10 inches.  Hawaii & the tropical Pacific.

 

Bohadschia paradoxa

Peek-a-boo, Midway Atoll, 40 feet

 

Honokohau, Hawaii, 100 feet

 

Sea Tiger, Oahu, 120 feet

PARADOXICAL SEA CUCUMBER

Common partially buried in sand in deep water.  Rust orange with dark papillae.  Readily ejects cuvierian tubules.  Attains 20 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

Holothuria sp. 1

Peek-a-boo, Midway Atoll, 50 feet

 

Mokuleia, Oahu, 100 feet

CHOCOLATE-CHIP SEA CUCUMBER

Rare in deep water except in the far Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and Midway.  Black papillae are ringed with white.  About 12 inches.  Hawaii.

 

Holothuria sp. 2

Pearl & Hermes Reef, 4 feet 

UNIDENTIFIED

Rare on reef flats in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.  Hard body with flattened base.  About 10 inches.  Hawaii.

 

Holothuria arenicola

Paiko, Oahu

SAND SEA CUCUMBER 

Buried in sand, often under stones.  Attains 10 inches.  Hawaii, Indo-Pacific & Tropical Western Atlantic.

 

Holothuria whitmaei

Kapoho tidepool, Hawaii

 

Fish Hole, Midway, 45 feet 

TEATED SEA CUCUMBER

Common on hard reef.  Rigid skin with flat base and stubs along margin.  Usually coated with sand and attains 12 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

H. atra & H. whitmaei, Kapoho tidepool, Hawaii

 

A. obesa & H. atra, Kapoho tidepools, Hawaii

 

Holothura atra

Kahuwai Bay, Hawaii, 20 feet

 

Atlantis Reef, Waikiki, Oahu, 85 feet

Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 30 feet

Atlantis Reef, Waikiki, Oahu, 85 feet

 

BLACK SEA CUCUMBER

Common on sandy reefs.  Round in cross section having thick but flexible skin coated with sand.  Attains 20 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

Holothuria cinerascens 

Makai Pier, Waimanalo, Oahu

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

ASHY SEA CUCUMBER

Common in the intertidal zone, holes, and caverns.  Occurs in clusters and extends tentacles to capture food in the current.  Purplish brown to black.  Attains 6 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific. 

Holothuria edulis 

Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, 15 feet

Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, 5 feet

EDIBLE or BURNT HOTDOG SEA CUCUMBER 

Occasional on sand in Kaneohe Bay.  Pink with black dorsal surface.  Attains 8 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

Holothuria difficilis 

Sharks Cove tidepool, Pupukea, Oahu

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

Makapu'u, Oahu, 10 feet

Kaloko, Oahu, 5 feet

DIFFICULT SEA CUCUMBER

Common under stones in areas exposed to wave action.  Thin reddish brown skin with black papillae.  Attains 5 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

Holothuria flavomaculata

Sharks Cove tidepool, Pupukea, Oahu

Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, 5 feet

YELLOWSPOTTED SEA CUCUMBER

Rare in holes in shallow water.  Over a foot long when extended.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

Holothuria hilla 

Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 20 feet

LIGHT-SPOTTED SEA CUCUMBER

Common under rocks.  Thin and flexible, emerging at night to feed.  Attains 12 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

Holothuria impatiens

Kaunolu Bay tidepool, Lana'i

 

Kapoho tidepools, Hawaii

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

Black Rock, Ka'anapali, Maui, 35 feet

IMPATIENT SEA CUCUMBER

Common under rocks.  Has prominent conical papillae.  Attains 8 inches.  Warm seas worldwide.

 

Holothuria pardalis

Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 45 feet

 

Kaunolu Bay tidepool, Lana'i

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 LEOPARD SEA CUCUMBER

Uncommon under rocks.  Cream with brown blotches in rows and conical papillae.  About 8 inches.  Hawaii, Indo-Pacific, & Tropical Eastern Pacific.

 

Holothuria pervicax

Kaunolu Bay tidepool, Lana'i

 

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

STUBBORN SEA CUCUMBER

Common under rocks.  Blunt papillae with black tips and rough body.  Attains 12 inches.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

Family Stichopodidae

Stichopus sp. 1

Atlantis Reef, Waikiki, Oahu, 85 feet

 

Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 80 feet

HAWAIIAN SPIKY SEA CUCUMBER 

Occasional in deep water.  At least 16 inches.  Hawaii.

 

Stichopus sp. 2

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

 HAWAIIAN YELLOW-TIP SEA CUCUMBER

Rare in shallow water.  About 8 inches.  Hawaii.

 

Stichopus horrens 

Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 25 feet

 

Juvenile, Haleiwa Trench, Oahu, 75 feet

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

 

Juvenile, Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 4 feet

 

Juvenile, Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Juvenile, Kaiona, Oahu, 4 feet

WARTY SEA CUCUMBER    Namako

Common in dark holes emerging at night to feed.  Shiny skin varies in color, juveniles are yellow or transparent.  About 10 inches.  Edible and called Namako in Japanese.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

Family Synaptidae

Synaptid Sea Cucumbers

Synaptids have very thin skin with tiny embedded hooks used to cling to anything it comes in contact with.  For this reason they are easily damaged when handled, especially with gloves.  The body is able to expand and contract a great deal.

 Euapta godeffroyi

Okoe Bay, Hawaii, 40 feet

LION'S PAW SEA CUCUMBER

Occasional under rocks in clear water.  Very thin and flexible, white with brown and yellow.  At least 3 feet extended.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

Opheodesoma spectabilis 

Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 35 feet

 

 Moku O Loe, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 5 feet

Moku o Loe, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 6 feet

CONSPICUOUS SEA CUCUMBER

Common on sand flats in Kaneohe Bay and other harbors.  Pink with brown and white.  At least 3 feet extended.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

Polyplectana kefersteini

Kaunolu Bay tidepool, Lana'i

  KEFERSTEIN'S SEA CUCUMBER

Occasional under rocks.  Brown, thin, and flexible.  About 2 feet.  Hawaii & the Indo-Pacific.

 

Chiridota hawaiiensis

Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, 15 feet 
Locally common in silty sand in shallow water.  Attains 3 inches.

 

INDO-PACIFIC

Family Holothuriidae

Bohadschia argus

Bora Bora, Society Islands, 6 feet

ARGUS SEA CUCUMBER

Common on sand.  To at least 16 inches.  Indo-Pacific except Hawaii.

  

Family Cucumariidae

Colochirus robustus

Puerto Galera, Philippines
Locally common on current-swept walls.  Attains 2.5 inches.  Indonesia, Philippines & Palau.

  

NORTHEAST PACIFIC

Family Cucumariidae

Cucumaria miniata

 

Ogden Point, Victoria, Canada, 40 feet

ORANGE SEA CUCUMBER

Abundant on rocky current-swept reefs.  Varies from orange to dark brown.  Alaska to Central California.

Eupentacta quinquesemita

Ogden Point, Victoria, Canada, 40 feet

 

WHITE SEA CUCUMBER

Common on rocky reefs in current-swept areas.  Has 8 long & 2 short oral tentacles.  The similar Cucumeria piperata & C. pallida have 10 long tentacles.  Alaska to Japan & Baja California.

Psolus chitonoides

Ogden Point, Victoria, Canada, 40 feet

SLIPPER or RED SEA CUCUMBER

Attached to rocks in current-swept areas.  Resembles a chiton or tunicate when tentacles are retracted.  Alaska to Baja California.

Pseudochnus lubricus

Rock Quarry, Catalina, California, 10 feet

Common in holes of rocky reefs at scuba depths.  Attains 3 inches.  Alaska to Southern California.  Formerly known as Cucumaria fisheri astigmatus.

Family Stichopodidae

Parastichopus californicus

Ogden Point, Victoria, Canada, 40 feet

 

Spring Bay, Victoria, Canada, 40 feet

Rock Quarry, Catalina, California, 50 feet

CALIFORNIA SEA CUCUMBER

Common at scuba depths where harvest is restricted.  Sold to Asian markets.  Color patter varies.   Attains 16 inches.  Alaska to Baja California.

Parastichopus parvimensis

Rock Quarry, Catalina, California, 30 feet

WARTY SEA CUCUMBER

Common on rocky reefs at scuba depths.  Attains 10 inches.  Monterey Bay to Baja California.

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