A new intestine
A Caribbean sea cucumber can live after losing its intestine. A thin layer of tissue that held the old intestine in place stays inside the body. The new intestine starts to grow there.
Explore the same world
Anatomy · Natural history
How marine animals regrow lost body parts
How some sea animals grow back missing body parts
Picture an octopus slipping between rocks to escape a fish. If it loses part of an arm and survives, the arm can grow back. A sea star can also regrow an arm. A sea cucumber can even rebuild its intestine.
An octopus retreats into a crevice as a grouper approaches. This scene illustrates a possible encounter between predator and prey. © dive.explo360.fr — All rights reserved. Reproduction requires permission.
