SEA CUCUMBERS BY MATIAS TOTZ
Species
Sea cucumbers are found on the bottom of the ocean worldwide and are known for being a great addition to any meal. These brilliant creatures look like dogs’ chew toys but they actually are very fascinating creatures with so many talents. There are almost 1,800 different species of sea cucumber found across the world. The one species of sea cucumber that sticks out most to me is the beaded sea cucumber because it reminds me of a glow-in-the-dark banana.
Defense Mechanisms
Some sea cucumbers have spikes sticking out of their body which are very soft but serve as a defense mechanism to trick any predators into thinking they have hard, sharp spikes. Another defense mechanism these creatures have hidden under their sleeves is a gut distraction. If a predator latches onto one of these sea cucumbers, the sea cucumber has the ability to spit out their guts to serve as a distraction. Sea cucumbers will grow up to 10-30 cm long, but some species can grow up to 3 m long.
Food Source
The largest American species which is normally found in the Florida reefs, has a mass of well over 500 cubic centimeters. Sea cucumbers use their mouth to scrape off any algae growing on rocks and will normally only eat anything green. I do not know why sea cucumbers taste so good if all they eat is algae!
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_cucumber
Sea cucumbers are found on the bottom of the ocean worldwide and are known for being a great addition to any meal. These brilliant creatures look like dogs’ chew toys but they actually are very fascinating creatures with so many talents. There are almost 1,800 different species of sea cucumber found across the world. The one species of sea cucumber that sticks out most to me is the beaded sea cucumber because it reminds me of a glow-in-the-dark banana.
Defense Mechanisms
Some sea cucumbers have spikes sticking out of their body which are very soft but serve as a defense mechanism to trick any predators into thinking they have hard, sharp spikes. Another defense mechanism these creatures have hidden under their sleeves is a gut distraction. If a predator latches onto one of these sea cucumbers, the sea cucumber has the ability to spit out their guts to serve as a distraction. Sea cucumbers will grow up to 10-30 cm long, but some species can grow up to 3 m long.
Food Source
The largest American species which is normally found in the Florida reefs, has a mass of well over 500 cubic centimeters. Sea cucumbers use their mouth to scrape off any algae growing on rocks and will normally only eat anything green. I do not know why sea cucumbers taste so good if all they eat is algae!
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_cucumber
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