Sea cucumber
Sea cucumber
Sea cucumber (pronunciation: /siː ˈkjuːkʌmbər/) is a marine animal found on the sea floor worldwide. The term "sea cucumber" is derived from the animal's resemblance to the vegetable cucumber (Cucumis sativus).
Etymology
The term "sea cucumber" is a direct translation of the Latin Cucumaria frondosa. The name was first used in English in the late 18th century. The term "cucumber" was used due to the elongated body and leathery skin of the animal, which is similar to the cucumber vegetable.
Description
Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea. They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of holothurian species worldwide is about 1,717 with the greatest number being in the Asia Pacific region.
Anatomy
Sea cucumbers have an endoskeleton just below the skin. To accommodate the water vascular system that acts as a respiratory system, the body wall is perforated with respiratory pores leading to a cloacal respiratory tree. The mouth is surrounded by tentacles, which can be pulled back inside the animal. The interior is filled with viscera, which are suspended from the body wall by mesenteries.
Reproduction
Sea cucumbers reproduce both sexually and asexually. In most sea cucumber species, individuals are either male or female (gonochoric), although a few species are hermaphroditic. The reproductive system consists of a single gonad, which is branched like a tree.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sea cucumber
- Wikipedia's article - Sea cucumber
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