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Sea cucumber (genus Bohadschia), Mu Ko Lanta Marine National Park, Thailand

Sea cucumbers are - as sea stars and urchins - echinoderms. They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number species worldwide is about 1,250 with the greatest number being in the Asia Pacific region. Many of these are gathered for human consumption and some species are cultivated in aquaculture systems. The harvested product is variously referred to as trepang, bêche-de-mer or balate. Sea cucumbers serve a useful purpose in the marine ecosystem as they help recycle nutrients, breaking down detritus and other organic matter after which bacteria can continue the degradation process.

Year: 2015

From album: Coastal Environments and Biodiversity

Photographer: Peter Prokosch

Tags: fauna water

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