Sea cucumber

Distribution : Mediterranean

Marine region

Along the Greek coast, the brown sea cucumber has long been more than an animal living on the seabed. For over a century, fishers have used it as bait on longlines, fishing lines carrying many hooks. They cut pieces from its thick body wall. This traditional practice gives an otherwise unassuming animal an unexpected place in the life of fishing harbours.

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Habitat

Sand, Seagrass meadow

Depth

1-50 m

Group

Role

Decomposer

Average size

25 cm

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

The brown sea cucumber has numerous dark bumps on a brown body, sometimes tinged with red or violet. Its shape is elongated and cylindrical.

The bumps vary in pointedness. Their dark colour helps compare it with the black sea cucumber, whose small bumps have white ends.

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WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
WHAT DOES IT EAT?
HOW DOES IT REPRODUCE?
OUR OBSERVATIONS

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