Cucumaria Frondosa:Cucumbers found in other places: |
Sea Cucumbers are a part of a larger group called Echinodermata, which also contains starfish, sand dollars and sea urchins. There are several species of holothurians in the Gulf of Maine but the one most commonly found near shore is the Cucumaria frondosa. Cucumaria frondosa has a long, cylindrical body with greenish/brownish and leathery skin. At one end is a mouth with a circle of branching tentacles. The body is extremely flexible and can be tightened into a knot when stressed or loosened into a long tube when relaxed. The relaxed bodies of larger individuals may reach almost 20 inches. All Sea Cucumbers are sluggish, tube-shaped, bottom dwelling animals that are found worldwide. They come in a variety of colors and textures. Surrounding their mouths are 8-30 tube feet that look like testicles, used for feeding and locomotion. Sea Cucumbers are invertebrates, meaning they lack a backbone, and range from 0.75in-6.5ft in length.
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