Sea Cucumber - Tumblr Posts

Spectacular seafloor finds. 💜

This is Psychropotes longicauda, one of the sea cucumber species commonly observed at MBARI’s research site Station M. These sea cucumbers grow from 75 to 150 millimeters (three to six inches) long and feed on detritus that drifts down from surface waters. This group of sea cucumbers is found worldwide in very deep waters ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 meters (6,560 to 19,685 feet). Although they have the ability to swim, researchers aren’t exactly sure what the large fin is used for in this species.

Long-term studies at Station M have revealed that this species of sea cucumber seems to prefer eating older detritus that has been partially decomposed by bacteria. The observations made over the last three decades of research at Station M provide a glimpse into the dynamics of life on the ocean floor.

Time for a sea cucumber ✨GLOW UP✨

(Thanks to @mbari-blog for the first two video clips!)