Invertebrate
Gummy Squirrel
Psychropotes longicaudaAlso known as Long-tailed Sea Cucumber, Yellow Gummy Squirrel, Deep-sea Gummy Squirrel
Gummy squirrels are striking abyssal sea cucumbers characterized by a bright yellow or purple gelatinous body topped with a long dorsal tail-like appendage. They cruise the ocean floor thousands of meters below the surface, vacuuming up organic sediment and marine snow from the benthic mud. Their buoyant young spend time drifting through the water column using a sail-like structure before settling permanently on the seabed.
Deep SeaAbyssalBenthic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyMarine snow, Organic detritus, Benthic bacteria
Predators
- Deep-sea fish
- Large benthic crustaceans
ThreatsDeep-sea nodule mining and climate-driven changes to ocean nutrient flows
HabitatsAbyssal plains and ocean trenches at depths of 1,000 to 6,000 meters
Life span10–30 years
Classification
- OrderElasipodida
- FamilyPsychropotidae
- GenusPsychropotes
- SpeciesPsychropotes longicauda
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Deep-sea observation: Accessible only via deep-sea research submersibles and remotely operated vehicles.
- Benthic feeding trails: Look for clean paths etched into deep ocean mud behind traveling individuals.
Co-habitant (c) NOAA/MBARI, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Pelagic Relative (c) NOAA Ocean Exploration & Research, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Image attribution (a) Smith & Amon 2013, (b) Glover, Dahlgren & Wiklund, 2015. Citation: Glover A, Wiklund H, Rabone M, Amon D, Smith C, O'Hara T, Mah C, Dahlgren T (2016) Abyssal fauna of the UK-1 polymetallic nodule exploration claim, Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific Ocean: Echinodermata. Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7251. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e7251 / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Keep collecting in Fauna
Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain Pro
Coral Currents
Gummy Squirrel is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
Unlock to track progress
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.