Name of organism:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order:Apodacea
Family: Cucumariidae
Genus: Paracucumariatricolor
Specie: Sea Apple
Habitat (where in the ocean does it live):
- Sea apples live on hard material, such as coral reefs, in water as deep as 40 feet (12 meters) in areas with a current.
Food source:
- Sea apples eat plant plankton.
Description of life cycle (egg to death):
- Sea apples have separate sexes. Males release sperm and females release eggs into the water, where they unite and where the larvae develop. The larvae transform into young sea apples that develop into adults.
How does it move (if it moves):
- The sea cucumber moves by expelling sand through its body.
Unique characteristics:
- Sea apples are colorful sea cucumbers about 7 inches (18 centimeters) long. They usually are purple. Three rows of tube feet run along the bottom side of the animal. The top side has two rows of tube feet as well as small scattered tube feet. The body is curved so that the mouth and anus point upward. The ten tentacles are bushy purple to red and have white tips. The pieces of the body wall skeleton are rounded, smooth plates with a few holes.
Role in the ecosystem:
- Its role in the ecosystem is to cleanse the sand on the sandy sea floor.
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