Two Oceans: A guide to the marine life of southern Africa by George Branch & Charles Griffiths & Margo Branch & Lynnath Beckley

Author:George Branch & Charles Griffiths & Margo Branch & Lynnath Beckley [Branch, George]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781775842781
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Published: 2017-03-10T05:00:00+00:00

PLATE 107

Sea cucumbersHolothuroidea

Sea cucumbers have lost the star-shaped symmetry typical of other echinoderms, evolved elongate, sausage-shaped bodies with soft, leathery skins, and taken to lying on their sides. The mouth lies at one end, surrounded by 10–20 retractable feeding tentacles, while the anus lies at the other. Tentacular structure distinguishes three groups, respectively with 12 feathery tentacles (107.1), 18–20 tufted tentacles (107.4a) or 10 tree-like tentacles (108.3). Up to five bands of tubefeet run the length of the body. The sticky tentacles gather detritus from the seabed, or catch plankton floating overhead. When disturbed, some species eject long, sticky threads from the anus. Others disgorge part or all of the gut, subsequently regenerating it.

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