Details
Apostichopus californicus
The California sea cucumber is a large deposit-feeding sea cucumber of the North Pacific coast. It processes sediment and recycles organic matter on the seafloor.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits cool Pacific rocky areas, sandy mud, and subtidal bottoms. Kelp edges and mixed gravel bottoms are common sites.
Length 25-50 cm; weight 200 g-1 kg. The thick cylindrical body is reddish to dark brown, with soft projections along the back. Feeding tentacles surround the mouth.
Nocturnal and mostly solitary, it creeps slowly over the bottom. When stressed it may contract strongly or eject internal organs as a defense.
A detritivore, it gathers sediment and organic particles with oral tentacles. Processed sand is expelled, helping cycle material through bottom habitats.
During spawning, adults raise the body and release eggs or sperm into the water. Larvae drift before settling to the seafloor.
It is listed as Least Concern, but it is harvested for food in some areas. Local populations depend on habitat condition and fishery management.
