Lissothuria nutriens

Lissothuria nutriens
This bright orange-red sea cucumber is 2 centimeters long, with light orange papillae spread across its dorsal surface. The papillae on its posterior are holding a flat square pebble on top. It was found near the bottom of a tide pool clinging to a rock or possibly walking with hundreds of tube feet poking out from the entire perimeter of its mantel. It is also holding a square but flat pebble on its right rear. Its feeding tentacles are contracted in a light red circle on its head.
Dwarf sea cucumber clinging to a rock at the bottom of a tide pool
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Dendrochirotida
Family: Psolidae
Genus: Lissothuria
Species:
L. nutriens
Binomial name
Lissothuria nutriens
Brandt, 1835

Lissothuria nutriens, commonly known as the dwarf sea cucumber or scarlet sea cucumber, is a bright red-orange sea cucumber that can be found in tide pools along much of the California coast.

Description

The dorsal surface is bright red-orange with small white tube feet evenly spread about. The lower surface or foot is pinkish and has rows of white tube feet.: 947  It grows to about 2 cm. Surrounding its mouth, it has 2 small and 8 large pinkish red dendritic tentacles.: 942, 946–947  The flesh surrounding its mouth contains a few plates.: 947 

Range

Lissothuria nutriens can be found from Monterey Bay to Southern California,: 946–947  and have been found as far north as Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands.

Habitat

Lissothuria nutriens can be found clinging to or moving across a rocky substrate or in sandy areas between alga holdfasts from the low intertidal to 20 meters deep.: 946–947  Based on the observations on iNaturalist it can also be found on various kinds of alga.

Diet

Lissothuria nutriens extends its sticky, dendritic tentacles to catch plankton. The tentacles then move the captured prey down its branches toward its base and into its mouth. It absorbs additional nutrients that it extracts from mud.

Reproduction

Lissothuria nutriens broods a small number of large eggs by moving them to pits on its dorsal surface.: 947  As a member of the order Dendrochirotida, the eggs have sufficient energy to enable the larvae to complete their development without needing to be fed.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Abbott, Donald P; et al. (2007). The Light and Smith Manual [of] Intertidal Invertebrates from Central California to Oregon (4th ed.). Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press.
  2. ↑ Miller, Allison K.; Kerr, Alexander M.; Paulay, Gustav; Reich, Mike; Wilson, Nerida G.; Carvajal, Jose I.; Rouse, Greg W. (June 2017). "Molecular phylogeny of extant Holothuroidea (Echinodermata)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 111: 110–131. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2017.02.014. PMID 28263876.
  3. 1 2 3 Meerwasser-Lexikon Team (2016-12-21). "Lissothuria nutriens". ReefLex.net.
  4. ↑ Young, Alison (2021-02-10). "Dwarf Sea Cucumber". iNaturalist.
  5. ↑ "Dwarf Sea Cucumber Photo Browser". iNaturalist. 2021-02-10.
  6. 1 2 3 Cannon, L.R.G.; Sliver, H. "Order Dendrochirotida". Marine Species Identification Portal.