Fauna
Invertebrate

Edible Sea Cucumber

Holothuria edulis

Also known as Pink and Black Sea Cucumber, Red Sea Cucumber

Edible sea cucumbers feature a dark grey or black upper body that contrasts sharply with a bright pink or reddish underside. They crawl slowly across sandy sea floors, vacuuming up sediment to digest organic matter and microalgae before expelling clean sand. This continuous feeding behavior plays a vital role in oxygenating the substrate and recycling nutrients within tropical reef ecosystems.

MarineBenthicDetritivore
Edible Sea Cucumber reference
"Edible Sea Cucumber (Holothuria edulis)" by Ed Bierman is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyDetritus, Microalgae, Bacteria
Predators
  • Sea stars
  • Crabs
  • Predatory fish
ThreatsOverharvesting for the seafood trade and coastal habitat degradation
HabitatsShallow coral reefs, sandy lagoons, and seagrass beds
Life span5 to 10 years
Classification
  1. FamilyHolothuriidae
  2. SpeciesHolothuria edulis
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; skin saponins can sting eyes and cuts, so avoid handling.
Why it is dangerous
Contains holothurin, a toxic saponin in the body wall that can irritate skin and eyes and is removed by proper preparation before eating.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Recognizable by its cylindrical body with a dark grey to black upper surface and a contrasting pink or reddish underside.
What to do
Avoid touching with bare hands, especially with open cuts, and never eat wild specimens.
Responsible observation
  • Observe from above: Watch them slowly vacuuming the sandy seafloor in shallow lagoons.
  • Do not touch: Handling stresses the animal and can trigger the release of toxic skin secretions.
  • Look for color contrast: Spot the distinctive dark upper body contrasting with the bright pink underside.
Related species
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