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Sea Cucumber Facts & Worksheets

Sea cucumbers are echinoderms, or invertebrates that belong to the phylum Echinodermata.

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Sea cucumbers are echinoderms, or invertebrates that belong to the phylum Echinodermata. They have a hard, spiny covering, or skin. Other commonly known organisms classified as echinoderms include sea urchins and starfish.

See the fact file below for more information on the Sea Cucumber or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Sea Cucumber worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

TAXONOMY AND PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

  • All 1,250 known species of sea cucumber fall under the class Holothuroidea. They are a group of worm-like and soft-bodied echinoderms abundantly found in the ocean waters.
  • Like other echinoderms, sea cucumbers exhibit radial symmetry but instead of their legs being formed into a circle (like that of starfishes), they have five rows of tiny feet. These rows of feet run down the sea cucumbers’ bodies lengthwise from their mouth to their anus. They use their feet to bind them to the seafloor.
  • Sea cucumbers get their name from their unique oblong shape that looks similar to a fat cucumber. However, unlike the firm shape of the cucumber vegetable we’re all familiar with, sea cucumbers are soft-bodied.
  • Small sea cucumbers measure 0.12 inches while larger sea cucumbers can grow up to 3 feet long.

DIET AND FEEDING

  • They have 20 to 30 tube feet that look like tentacles around the opening of their mouths. These tube feet are what they use to gather food and place it into their mouths.
  • Sea cucumbers gather microorganisms such as minute aquatic animals, waste materials, and algae then consume them for their food. These particles are broken down even more when digested. The broken-down particles are consumed by bacteria and are eventually let out again into the ocean. This process can be compared to how earthworms function in the soil.
  • In the process of feeding, sea cucumbers end up consuming sand as well. This passes through them and exits from the anus as a “sandy poop log.”

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION

  • Sea cucumbers live in the ocean, with some living in shallow waters and others living in deeper waters.
  • They are found on the ocean floor and are oftentimes found buried under the sand.
  • They are abundant in the Indian Ocean and in the waters of the western Pacific. There are around 80 to 100 species of sea cucumbers that are mostly found in the coral reefs.

BEHAVIOR AND ECOLOGY

  • Sea cucumbers move by adjusting the water pressure in their feet. When they want their feet to stretch out, they increase the amount of water. When they need to contract their feet, they release water.
  • Sea cucumbers have a unique way of defending themselves when faced with danger. When they feel threatened, they release sticky threads that capture and trap their enemies. Another defense mechanism that sea cucumbers do is that they throw their internal organs out through their anus. They are able to do this by powerfully contracting their muscles. The sea cucumber then is able to regenerate the body parts it has lost.
  • The byproducts let out by sea cucumbers do good things for the ecosystem. Sea cucumbers help protect the water surrounding them from ocean acidification because their waste products give off high pH levels.
  • Also let out by sea cucumbers are calcium carbonate and ammonia. Calcium carbonate contributes to coral formation while ammonia promotes coral growth, acting like a fertilizer. This greatly benefits the coral reefs which are considered to be the habitat of sea cucumbers and other aquatic organisms.

REPRODUCTION FOR SEA CUCUMBERS

  • Sea cucumbers are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction.
  • Sexual reproduction is more common with these organisms. They release the egg cells and the sperm cells into the water, where they combine.
  • The process of reproduction requires there to be a large number of individual sea cucumbers in the whole population in order to increase the chances of the attempt of reproduction to be successful.
  • There are thousands of reproductive cells released by sea cucumbers at a time. The females release up to 130,000 eggs at a time.
  • It takes around two years for the sea cucumber to become sexually mature.

SEA CUCUMBERS AND HUMANS

  • Sea cucumbers are considered a delicacy (rare or expensive food) in many cuisines; most especially in China and other Asian countries.
  • Divers or commercially farmers harvest the sea cucumbers.
  • You can eat the sea cucumber raw, fried, or pickled. A common way that it is served would be to add it to dishes dried where it will rehydrate and regain a slimy texture.

Sea Cucumber Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Sea Cucumber across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Sea Cucumber worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Sea cucumbers which are echinoderms, or invertebrates that belong to the phylum Echinodermata. They have a hard, spiny covering, or skin. Other commonly known organisms classified as echinoderms include sea urchins and starfish.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Sea Cucumber Facts
  • Word Search
  • Comparing Cucumbers
  • Habitat Hunt
  • Draw My Home
  • Make A Move
  • Ecology
  • I Sea Love!
  • Crossword Puzzle
  • Draw A Sea Cucumber
  • Protecting Marine Life

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Link will appear as Sea Cucumber Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 5, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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