Page 117 - (DK) Super Shark Encyclopedia: And Other Creatures of the Deep

Bristly tips of feeding
tentacles move around
to trap food particles in
surrounding seawater

TENTACLE EXTENSION

The bristly tentacles around the mouth
of a sea cucumber are extra-long tube feet
(see left). They are used like sticky fingers
to trap any food particles floating by
and feed them into the body.

INNARDS OUT
It is difficult to tell if a sea cucumber is startled
until it suddenly does its nasty inside-out trick.
This is a sea cucumber’s secret weapon to
defend itself. By using muscles to squeeze its
body wall, the sea cucumber’s gut shoots
straight out of its bottom. Sometimes this is
mixed with special tacky threads too—as seen
here—and they will stick to the face of any
predatory fish that comes too close. Amazingly,
sea cucumbers have no trouble completely
rebuilding their insides after this has happened.

Sea apple swallows
water to swell up
LIFE STORIES
when alarmed

Colorful oddity
The sea apple is an especially brightly colored
species of sea cucumber but it is not as delicious
as its fruity name suggests—it releases a foul
soapy substance when alarmed. 115