This massive sea cucumber, the prickly redfish (Thelenota ananas), looks like an animated rug as it crawls slowly over the sea bed. The largest individuals of this species can grow up to 11 lbs. The large, star-shaped papillae that cover its body...

This massive sea cucumber, the prickly redfish (Thelenota ananas), looks like an animated rug as it crawls slowly over the sea bed. The largest individuals of this species can grow up to 11 lbs. The large, star-shaped papillae that cover its body make it less appealing as a meal to potential predators. The prickly redfish feeds mostly on Halimeda seaweeds. Its main predators are humans, as the prickly redfish is considered a delicacy in parts of eastern Asia, but it is also fed upon by a variety of fish and crustaceans.

Photo © Jan Messersmith

prickly redfish sea cucumber prickly redfish echinoderm echinodermata biology marine biology ocean sea life nature animals awesome

Dec 01, 2012
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