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Donkey dung sea cucumber

Holothuria mexicana

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Fun Facts

This sea cucumber gets its name from its similar appearance to a donkey's poo!

Species Type:

Invertebrates

Common Name(s):

Donkey dung sea cucumber

Size:

On average, the donkey dung sea cucumber grows to 20 inches (50 centimeters) long.

Diet:

These sea cucumbers feed on the top layers of sand underneath coral reef communities. They filter organic matter like algae, tiny aquatic organisms and waste materials from the sand before expelling the rest back into the ocean.

Range & Habitat:

Found in shallow coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds and lagoons throughout the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

Details:

Donkey dung sea cucumbers are long, brown and bumpy. They have white bellies with brown spotting on their bottom half and tiny tube feet to help them move around.