Fauna
Invertebrate

Japanese Spiky Sea Cucumber

Apostichopus japonicus

Also known as Japanese Sea Cucumber, Manchurian Sea Cucumber, Spiky Sea Cucumber

Japanese spiky sea cucumbers glide slowly across the seabed using specialized tube feet, shoveling organic-rich mud and sand into their mouths with peltate tentacles. During the warmest summer months, adults enter a dormant state known as aestivation, shrinking considerably in size and halting feeding until water temperatures drop. Prized for centuries as a culinary delicacy and medicinal tonic, intense market demand has driven severe wild population declines despite widespread coastal aquaculture.

MarineBenthicInvertebrate
Japanese Spiky Sea Cucumber reference
"アカナマコ, bèche-de-mer japonaise, japanese sea cucumber, japanese spiky sea cucumber, japanische seegurke, japanse zeekomkommer, дальневосточный трепанг" by harum.koh is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. · cc-by-sa
—observations
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—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyBenthic diatoms, Organic detritus, Marine sediment bacteria
Predators
  • Sunflower sea star
  • Rock crab
  • Bottom-dwelling predatory fish
ThreatsCommercial overfishing, illegal harvesting, coastal habitat degradation, and climate change
HabitatsTemperate shallow bays, rocky reefs, gravel beds, and sandy coastlines
Life span5–10 years
Classification
  1. FamilyStichopodidae
  2. SpeciesApostichopus japonicus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Recognizable by thick, elongated bodies covered in conical, fleshy spikes ranging from green to red-brown.
Support conservation
Leave wild individuals entirely undisturbed in their seabed habitat and report suspected illegal harvesting.
Responsible observation
  • Look Closely: Search among sheltered rocky crevices and eelgrass beds in shallow bays.
  • Do Not Disturb: Never squeeze or handle them roughly, as severe stress triggers organ evisceration.
  • Observe In Situ: Watch how their specialized mouth tentacles sort sediment grains underwater.
Related species
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