Mystery from Florida, USA

July 14, 2000
From: Mark Franey

While diving at a depth of 50', on a sandy bottom next to a ledge, in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, I observed a slug like critter that looked mostly off-white with brown blotches crawling on the bottom filtering the sand, I assume, for food. It was catapillar like, and couldn't swim. It was about 10" long and 3" in diameter. What do you call it? What do they eat?
Mark Franey

mark_franey@jabil.com

Franey, M., 2000 (Jul 14) Mystery from Florida, USA. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2712

Dear Mark,
You don't give me many clues, but from its length, and 'caterpillar like' body, you probable saw a Sea Cucumber.

Have a look at the Sea Cucumber Page for a photo of a sea cucumber. The most noticeable feature would have been a circle of feathery feeding tentacles at one end, which are used to collect its food - minute organic particles which form a thin layer over the sand and mud on which it lives. There is also a photo in a message from the Mediterranean of a sea cucumber which sounds somewhate similar to your description.

Sea Cucumbers are close relatives of Starfish and Sea Urchins.

If it didn't look like a sea cucumber then you will need to send me a drawing or photo, so I have a few more clues.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Jul 14). Comment on Mystery from Florida, USA by Mark Franey. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2712

Factsheet

Sea cucumbers

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