The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 1700
Sea cucumbers are soft-bodied marine animals found on ocean floors worldwide, from shallow coastal areas to the deep sea. They are part of the echinoderm group, related to starfish and sea urchins, but have elongated, flexible bodies. They move slowly across the seabed, using tube feet and muscular contractions, feeding on organic matter mixed with sand. This feeding behavior helps clean and recycle nutrients within marine ecosystems.