Unknown echinoderm - the Triffid

[bumpmedia]

gorgeous

[WANTONSOUPGUY]

looks like my ex-mom in law...

[keithflying1]

whoooo i think i grew 1 in the kitchen omg

[Pato2Caliban]

This animal as been identified as a coelenterate of the holothurian family - i.e. the feeding components of a sea cucumber!

[barramundo]

Coelenterate from the holothurian family?? Coelenterates are corals, sea anemones, hydroids and so on. Yes it is a sea cucumber, there are the feeding tentacles, but is not a coelenterate :o) Holothurians are Echinoderms just like the sea stars, crinoids, urchins and brittle stars.

[Pato2Caliban]

You are correct, of course. The ID from Melbourne Museum was: "Mark O'Leary has identified the specimen in the photographs as a type of sea cucumber; a dendrochirotid holothuroid, these types of animals possess tentacles like those shown in the photographs from Sabah. There are a few good references on the web about dendrochirotid holothuroid, particularly some descriptions of new species" Thanks for your interest.

[barramundo]

Well, I work with them :o) A dendrochirotid sea cucumber is that wuch has branched feeding arms, the other group is Aspidochirota, wich tentacles are mora like "little hands". Dendrochirotids like to feed most on plankton and particles on the water column, the other ones likes to feed on the sediment, really interesting sea creatures! and great feeding video!

[Pato2Caliban]

Thanks for that feedback. I have uploaded another short video of what I guess is a member of the Aspidochirota feeding with her "little hands".

[weldon0m]

spooky sea plant man......spooky