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Updated 12/10/2022

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.  They move and attach themselves to the substrate using tube feet.  Many species eject sticky white threads called Cuvierian Tubules when disturbed.  These parts along with any internal organs are regenerated.  The generic Hawaiian name is loli., Japanese is namako.

About edible sea cucumbers from the University of Wisconsin

 

Cuvierian tubules

Tube feet

 

CIRCUMTROPICAL

Holothuria arenicola

SAND SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Holothuria impatiens

IMPATIENT SEA CUCUMBER

 
Isaurus tuberculatus

SNAKE POLYP or LUMPY ZOANTHID

(not a sea cucumber)

 

  

HAWAII - ENDEMIC

Stichopus sp. 1

HAWAIIAN SPIKY SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Stichopus sp. 2

HAWAIIAN YELLOW-TIP SEA CUCUMBER

 
Holothuria cf. dofleinii

CHOCOLATE-CHIP SEA CUCUMBER

 

 

 

 

INDO-PACIFIC / HAWAII

Actinopyga varians

WHITE-SPOTTED SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Actinopyga obesa

PLUMP SEA CUCUMBER

 
Holothuria atra

BLACK SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Holothuria whitmaei

TEATED SEA CUCUMBER

 
Holothuria cinerascens

ASHY SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Holothuria edulis

BURNT HOT DOG SEA CUCUMBER
Bohadschia paradoxa

PARADOXICAL SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Bohadschia vitiensis

FIJI SEA CUCUMBER

 
Holothuria difficilis 

DIFFICULT SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Holothuria flavomaculata

YELLOW-SPOTTED SEA CUCUMBER

 
Holothuria pervicax

STUBBORN SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Holothuria pardalis

LEOPARD SEA CUCUMBER

 
Holothuria hilla 

LIGHT-SPOTTED SEA CUCUMBER

 

  Actinopyga lecanora

WHITE-RUMPED SEA CUCUMBER

 
Stichopus horrens

Juvenile, WARTY SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Stichopus horrens

WARTY SEA CUCUMBER

 
Opheodesoma spectabilis 

CONSPICUOUS SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Polyplectana kefersteini

KEFERSTEIN'S SEA CUCUMBER

 
Euapta tahitiensis

TAHITIAN SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Chiridota hawaiiensis

RED SAND SEA CUCUMBER

 

 

INDO-PACIFIC

Thelenota ananas

PINEAPPLE SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Thelenota anax

AMBERFISH SEA CUCUMBER
Bohadschia argus

LEOPARD SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Stichopus chloronotus

BLACK KNOBBY SEA CUCUMBER

 
Holothuria coluber

SNAKEFISH SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Holothuria scabra

SANDFISH SEA CUCUMBER
Synaptula lamperti

LAMPERT'S SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Synaptula sp.

SPONGE SEA CUCUMBER

 
Colochirus robustus

YELLOW SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Massinium magnum

MAGNUM SEA CUCUMBER
Pearsonothuria graeffei

 

BLACKSPOTTED SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Pearsonothuria graeffei

BLACKSPOTTED SEA CUCUMBER, juv
Stichopus vastus

ZEBRA SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Stichopus herrmanni

CURRYFISH SEA CUCUMBER

JAPAN

Apostichopus japonicus

JAPANESE SEA CUCUMBER

 

NORTHEAST PACIFIC

Cucumaria miniata

ORANGE SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Cucumaria salma

BLACK & ORANGE SEA CUCUMBER
Eupentacta quinquesemita

WHITE SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Pseudocnus lubricus

FISHER'S SEA CUCUMBER

 
Parastichopus californicus

CALIFORNIA SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Parastichopus parvimensis

WARTY SEA CUCUMBER

 
Psolus chitonoides

RED SEA CUCUMBER

 

TROPICAL WESTERN ATLANTIC

Holothuria floridana

FLORIDA SEA CUCUMBER

 

 Holothuria mexicana

DONKEY DUNG SEA CUCUMBER