Species · GBIF taxon 5721357
Sea Apple
Pseudocolochirus violaceusAlso known as Violet Sea Apple, Purple Sea Apple, Australian Sea Apple
Sea apples are strikingly colorful, egg-shaped sea cucumbers that decorate Indo-Pacific reefs with shades of purple, red, and yellow. They use a crown of highly branched, feathery tentacles to capture microscopic plankton from the water column, sweeping them into their mouths one by one. When severely threatened, they can swell with water, float away, or release a toxic chemical that can devastate nearby marine life.
MarineColorfulFilter Feeder
Licensed referenceMarrabbio2 / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Phytoplankton
- Zooplankton
- Detritus
Predators
- Large predatory fish
- Crabs
- Sea stars
ThreatsHabitat destruction and overcollection for the aquarium trade
HabitatsCoral reefs and rocky sea floors
Life span5 to 10 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyCucumariidae
- SpeciesPseudocolochirus violaceus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Contains holothurin toxins that are harmful if ingested; avoid handling to prevent stress-induced toxin release.
- Why it is dangerous
- Releases holothurin, a potent toxin that can destroy red blood cells and is highly lethal to fish and marine life.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognized by its round, apple-like shape, vibrant purple or blue body, bright red feet, and yellow tentacles.
- What to do
- Never touch or stress this animal, especially in enclosed waters like tide pools or aquariums.
Responsible observation
- Observe from a distance: Avoid touching or disturbing them, as stress can trigger toxic chemical release.
- Watch the tentacles: Look for the rhythmic sweeping of their colorful, branching tentacles into their mouths.
Co-habitant "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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