Scientific name : Holothuria forskali
Phylum : Echinoderma (sea urchins, starfish, sea cucumbers…)
Size : Up to 40 cm
Distribution : Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic coasts, as far as the British Isles
Biology : Sea cucumbers are animals that are relatively close to sea urchins.
They play a very important ecological role : like earthworms, they swallow large quantities of sand, digest bacteria and organic matter, then release pure sand.
When it feels threatened, it expels filaments called Cuvier’s tubes, containing toxic substances.
IUCN status : Least concern
