Sea Cucumbers
Sea cucumbers are echinoderms and are all ocean dwellers, some living in shallow water and others in deep water sometimes being partially buried. They are an invertebrate, omnivore, with an average lifespan in the wild of 5 to 10 years. Sea cucumbers feed on tiny particles which they gather with 8 to 30 tube feet that look like tentacles around its mouth. The sea cucumber then takes these particles and makes them into even smaller particles.
When threatened, some sea cucumbers discharge sticky threads to trap their enemies. Others will mutilate their own bodies as a defense mechanism. They then contract their muscles and eject some of their internal organs out of their anus. The missing body parts are quickly regenerated after they are gone.
Sea cucumber reproduce sexually or asexually, releasing sperm and egg cells into the water. The process needs a large amount of sea cucumbers in a certain area to reproduce efficiently. This has caused large colonies or herds of sea cucumbers to form on some parts of the ocean floor.
The sea cucumber have a ring of neural tissue surrounding their mouth or oral cavity. Five major nerves run down the body from this main ring. It has been shown that removing the ring that the nerves connect to does not affect how the sea cucumber, suggesting that it is not necessarily needed. Most sea cucumbers have no sensory organs, but their nerves branch out and allow them to feel changes in texture and light.
When threatened, some sea cucumbers discharge sticky threads to trap their enemies. Others will mutilate their own bodies as a defense mechanism. They then contract their muscles and eject some of their internal organs out of their anus. The missing body parts are quickly regenerated after they are gone.
Sea cucumber reproduce sexually or asexually, releasing sperm and egg cells into the water. The process needs a large amount of sea cucumbers in a certain area to reproduce efficiently. This has caused large colonies or herds of sea cucumbers to form on some parts of the ocean floor.
The sea cucumber have a ring of neural tissue surrounding their mouth or oral cavity. Five major nerves run down the body from this main ring. It has been shown that removing the ring that the nerves connect to does not affect how the sea cucumber, suggesting that it is not necessarily needed. Most sea cucumbers have no sensory organs, but their nerves branch out and allow them to feel changes in texture and light.