Synaptid
sea cucumbers
Family Synaptidae
updated
Oct 08
Where
seen? These sea cucumbers appear to be seasonally abundant
and are found on many of our shores. When in 'season', large numbers
of small skinny ones (5-10cm long) may be seen draped around sponges
and other encrusting animals. In the seagrass meadows, thicker very
long ones (10-12cm, to 30cm long) are entwined among the seagrasses.
They might even be seen crawling (slowly) on the sand.
Features: Synaptids have a thin
body wall and are more delicate than other sea cucumbers. Synaptid
sea cucumbers don't have tube feet. Instead, they may stick to things
with tiny hooked sclerites that poke out of their soft bodies. This
is why they stick to our hands if we touch them. They have thin body
walls and are fragile, so we should not handle them.
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Long big synaptids are sometimes
seen among seagrasses.
Cyrene Reef, Jun 08 |
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