Science Main Index
There are about 1,250 species of sea cucumber native to ocean floors throughout the world. They inhabit everywhere from shallow waters to deep seas, and often travel in large herds. Their name comes from the fact that many of these species look much like a cucumber. The sea cucumber is a scanvenger, feeding on plankton and decaying organic matter found on the ocean floor. They sift through this sediment with their tentacles. They also position themselves in currents to catch food that flows by their open tentacles. When threatened, some sea cucumbers discharge sticky threads or eject some of their internal organs to deter their predator. Play the following videos to learn more about the sea cucumber.